HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Electric Vehicles

John Spellar: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the House of Commons Commission will take steps to install recharging points for electric and hybrid vehicles in the House of Commons car park.

John Thurso: Two recharging points have recently been installed and are designed to recharge the latest version of the Toyota Prius (which will be used by the Government Car Service). As technology progresses the House authorities will keep this under review.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Departmental Art Works

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department has spent on artwork since May 2010.

Damian Green: There has been no money spent by the Department on artwork at Home Office Headquarters since May 2010.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations her Department has removed since 6 May 2010.

Damian Green: The following regulations have been removed since 6 May 2010:
	The Immigration and Nationality (Cost Recovery Fees) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/228) were revoked by the Immigration and Nationality (Cost Recovery Fees) (No.2) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2226) on 1 October 2010.
	The Misuse of Drugs (Licence Fees) Regulations 1986 (S.I. 1986/416) and the Misuse of Drugs (Licence Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 2003/611) were revoked by the Misuse of Drugs (Licence Fees) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/2497) on 15 November 2010.
	The Immigration and Nationality (Fees) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/778) were revoked by the Immigration and Nationality (Fees) (No.2) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/2807) on 22 November 2010.
	The Immigration (Designation of Travel Bans) (Amendment) Order 2009 (S.I 2009/3044) was revoked by the Immigration (Designation of Travel Bans) (Amendment) Order 2010 (S.I. 2010/2813) on 20 December 2010.
	The Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Exemption) (Aviation Security) Regulations 2006 (S.I. 2006/428), regulation 2 of the Private Security Industry Act 2001 Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/2504) and the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Exemption) (Aviation Security) Regulations 2006 (Amendment) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2964) were revoked by the Private Security Industry Act 2001 (Exemption) (Aviation Security) Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/3018) on 14 January 2011.
	The Identity Cards Act 2006 (Information and Code of Practice on Penalties) Order 2009 (S.I. 2009/2570) was revoked by the Identity Documents Act 2010 with effect from 21 January 2011.

Driving Offences

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many motorists attended safer driving courses in lieu of receiving a three-point driving licence penalty in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Data that are collected centrally relating to motoring offences are published within chapters 3 and 4 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin: "Police Power and Procedures". Copies are available from the Home Office website and the Library of the House.
	Data on convictions for motoring offences are published within chapter 8 of the Ministry of Justice Bulletin: "Criminal Statistics".
	Current and previous editions of both publications are available online and in the Library of the House.

Entry Clearances: Bangladesh

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student visas were granted to citizens of Bangladesh in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The number of student visas issued to nationals of Bangladesh in each year since 2005 is shown in the following table. Those issued after 31 March 2009 were issued under tier 4 of the points based system.
	
		
			  Student visas issued to Nationals of Bangladesh 
			   Visas issued 
			 2005 2961 
			 2006 3375 
			 2007 3444 
			 2008 3314 
			 2009 17303 
			 2010(1) 6732 
			 (1)January to September 2010 only. 
		
	
	These data are unpublished and are based on management information. They are provisional and subject to change.
	The steep rise in visas issued in 2009 is evidence of serious abuse of the student entry route following the introduction of tier 4. The Government are determined to stop this abuse and is therefore currently conducting a major review of student visas.

Entry Clearances: Republic of Ireland

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what point of entry facilities are available for those entering the UK from abroad via the Republic of Ireland who activate the residency permit in their passport granting temporary or permanent right of abode in the UK.

Damian Green: The Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and the UK form what is referred to as the common travel area (CTA). Under Section 1(3) of the Immigration Act 1971 arrival in and departure from the UK on a local journey from or to the CTA will not be subject to immigration control. There are therefore no routine UK immigration control facilities for persons arriving from the Republic of Ireland (or the rest of the CTA).
	Under the Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order 2000 the visa or entry clearance of a person arriving in the UK and presenting it for the first time has effect as leave to enter the UK, regardless of whether they are examined on arrival. Such a person arriving from the Republic of Ireland would benefit in the same way and would not need to do anything further to activate their leave.
	A person with leave to enter or remain in the UK for a period greater than six months granted previously would benefit in a similar way, regardless of whether they are examined on arrival. They would not need to do anything further when entering from the Republic of Ireland.
	A person with the right of abode is treated the same way as someone holding a British citizen passport. The UK Border Agency does not endorse the passports of British citizens or of dual nationals with the right of abode so such a person would also not need to do anything when entering from the Republic of Ireland.

Entry Clearances: Shipping

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many seafarers holding documents issued by nations who have ratified International Labour Organization Convention 185 were required to apply for entry clearance to the UK from ships at port in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: Most seafarers do not require entry clearance to enter the UK. Under Section 8(1) of the Immigration Act 1971 a person arriving as a member of the crew of a ship under engagement to leave the UK as a member of its crew may, subject to certain exceptions, enter without leave and remain until the departure of the ship. This applies regardless of whether the crew member holds a seafarer's identity issued under International Labour Organization Convention 185 (ILO 185) or not.
	We do not record, of those who are required to obtain leave on arrival or entry clearance from abroad, how many hold ILO 185 documents.

Forensic Science

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the  (a) financial viability and  (b) compliance with Companies Act requirements of private sector suppliers of forensic science services.

James Brokenshire: The financial viability of forensic suppliers was assessed as part of the procurement for the National Forensic Framework Agreement and continues to be monitored as part of the contract management process of the National Forensic Framework. In the context of a wind down of the Forensic Science Service (FSS), the appropriate due diligence will take place for any transfers of contracts and capacity from the Forensic Science Service.
	Assessments of the financial position of companies in the forensics market are commercial in confidence.

Forensic Science

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to establish contingency arrangements should private sector companies be unable to supply forensic science support required by police forces.

James Brokenshire: As we announced in a written ministerial statement on 14 December 2010,  Official Report, columns 94-96WS, the continued provision of forensic supply is a key priority.

Human Trafficking

Fiona Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will meet representatives of Migrant Helpline to discuss the Government's proposed new policy on combating human trafficking in order to develop a comprehensive approach.

Damian Green: Internal work has been progressing on the human trafficking strategy and we are now in the process of discussing it with non-governmental organisations, including Migrant Helpline.
	The voluntary sector plays a key role in the provision of support to victims of human trafficking. We are strongly supportive of this role and will continue to work in partnership with voluntary organisations to reduce the incidence of human trafficking.

Licensed Premises: Alcoholic Drinks

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the conduct of test purchases of alcohol in drinking establishments by police forces.

James Brokenshire: The Government take very seriously the issue of selling alcohol to minors. In the coalition agreement the Government set out their intention to raise the maximum fine for selling alcohol to children to £20,000. This measure is currently being taken forward in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill which is currently before the House.
	Each police force takes the decision of how to best enforce the law on the selling of alcohol to minors. This often involves test purchase operations involving the police and/or trading standards officers. However, policy decisions in relation to the conduct of these operations are taken at a local level.
	The Home Office published a document in November 2010, containing information about the range of tools and powers available to tackle alcohol related crime and disorder. Annex 5 of this document relates to test purchasing, and offers advice to people planning or conducting test purchase operations. However, this document seeks to offer information and guidance only, the operational decisions are taken at a local level.
	http://www.alcoholdigitalresource.co.uk/

Licensed Premises: Alcoholic Drinks

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drinking establishments that failed test purchases of alcohol in  (a) Lincoln constituency,  (b) Lincolnshire and  (c) England and Wales were temporarily closed by the police in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: This information is not collected centrally. Information on licensed premises, including the number of premises who have their licences suspended or revoked is available from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport website at the following link. However, the information on the website does not state the reasons why premises had their licenses suspended or revoked.
	http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/research_and_statistics/4865.aspx

Licensed Premises: Alcoholic Drinks

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of test purchasing of alcohol in drinking establishments by police forces.

James Brokenshire: The Government take very seriously the issue of selling alcohol to minors. In the coalition agreement the Government set out their intention to raise the maximum fine for selling alcohol to children to £20,000. This measure is currently being taken forward in the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Bill which is currently before the House.
	We have made no recent assessment of the effectiveness of test purchasing operations. Each police force is responsible for enforcing the law on underage sales, and each police force area will take a view on the effectiveness of test purchase operations when deciding how the law on underage sales will be enforced.

Licensed Premises: Alcoholic Drinks

Karl McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will estimate the cost to the public purse of conducting test purchasing of alcohol in drinking establishments in  (a) Lincoln constituency,  (b) Lincolnshire and  (c) England and Wales in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office has not estimated the cost to the public purse of conducting test purchase operations. Each police force area takes the decision as to how to enforce the law on the sale of alcohol to minors.
	The costs of the test purchase operations will be considered by each police force area when this decision is made.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she intends to Answer the letter sent to her by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton on 20 December 2010, with regard to Elain Thornton.

Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 27 January 2011.

Police: Noise

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints police forces received in respect of late-night noise in  (a) 2001,  (b) 2002,  (c) 2003,  (d) 2004,  (e) 2005 and  (f) 2006.

James Brokenshire: The Home Office does not hold this information.

Tattooing: Children

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 19 January 2011,  Official Report, column 822W, on prosecutions: tattooing, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of enforcement of legislation prohibiting the tattooing of children under the age of 16; and if she will make a statement.

James Brokenshire: No specific assessment has been carried out of the effectiveness of enforcement of this particular legislation, either by the police or the Crown Prosecution Service.
	Individual offences under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 are classed as summary offences. Data for such offences under the Act cannot be separately identified on the Ministry of Justice Court proceedings database as they form part of a miscellaneous group which cannot be separately analysed.
	It is not therefore possible to gauge the effectiveness of the enforcement of this legislation through the use of available statistical data.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Bees

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much funding she has allocated to the National Bee Unit to address recent trends in the bee population.

James Paice: In response to the challenges facing bees, in 2009 DEFRA allocated £2.3 million to the Food and Environment Research Agency's National Bee Unit (NBU) to implement the first two years of the 10-year Healthy Bees Plan in partnership with the Welsh Assembly Government and others. This work is aimed at protecting and improving the health of honey bees. DEFRA also allocates funding to the NBU to control statutory diseases and pests of honey bees, to monitor colony losses and to provide advice to enable beekeepers to become more self-reliant in combating disease through improved bee husbandry; this year's allocation was £1.3 million. Over the last two years, there has been a significant reduction in the number of colonies that have been lost compared to previous years and last year's losses were the lowest since 2001.
	In addition, DEFRA has allocated £2.5 million over five years towards the £10 million Insect Pollinator Initiative which is also being funded by the Scottish Executive, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Natural Environment Research Council and the Wellcome Trust. The initiative's purpose is to promote innovative research aimed at understanding and mitigating the biological and environmental factors that adversely affect insect pollinators, including bumble and honey bees.

Bees: Urban Areas

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will assess the merits of issuing guidance to local councils to encourage greater numbers of beekeepers in cities.

James Paice: We have no plans to issue specific guidance to local councils. However, the Food and Environment Research Agency's National Bee Unit (NBU) and its bee inspectors provide free advice and guidance to beekeepers including to those in cities. Further information is available on the NBU's BeeBase website. DEFRA and the NBU recently supported the London Bee summit, which was a City of London initiative to encourage beekeeping in the city, and would be pleased to support similar schemes elsewhere.

Departmental Regulations

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what regulations her Department has removed since 6 May 2010.

James Paice: The 45 regulations listed as follows were revoked in the period May 2010 to end of December 2010:
	1. Plant Health (Import Inspection Fees) (England) Regulations 2006
	2. Plant Health (Import Inspection Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2007
	3. Plant Health (Import Inspection Fees) (England) (Amendment) (No 2) Regulations 2007
	4. Plant Health (Import Inspection Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2008
	5. Plant Health (Import Inspection Fees) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2009
	6. Ecodesign for Energy-Using Products Regulations 2007
	7. Ecodesign for Energy-Using Products (Amendment) Regulations 2009
	8. Beet Seed (England) Regulations 2002
	9. Fodder Plant Seed (England) Regulations 2002
	10. Cereal Seed (England) Regulations 2002
	11. Oil and Fibre Plant Seed (England) Regulations 2002
	12. Vegetable Seed (England) Regulations 2002
	13. Seed (Registration, Licensing and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2002
	14. Oil and Fibre Plant Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2003
	15. Beet Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004
	16. Cereal Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004
	17. Fodder Plant Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004
	18. Oil and Fibre Plant Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004
	19. Vegetable Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004
	20. Seed (Registration, Licensing and Enforcement) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2004
	21. Beet Seed (England.) (Amendment) Regulations 2005
	22. Cereal Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005
	23. Fodder Plant (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005
	24. Oil and Fibre Plant Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005
	25. Vegetable Seed (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005
	26. Seed (Registration, Licensing and Enforcement) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2005
	27. Seed (England) (Amendments for Tests and Trials etc) Regulations 2006
	28. Cereal Seed (England) and Fodder Plant (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2006
	29. Seed (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2007
	30. Seed (Conservation Varieties Amendments) (England) Regulations 2009
	31. The Agricultural Holdings (Units of Production) (England) Order 2009
	32. Commons Registration (Publicity) Regulations 1966
	33. Commons Registration (Objections and Maps) (Amendment) Regulations 1970 Commons Commissioners Regulations 1971
	34. Commons Registration (Second Period References) Regulations 1973
	35. Commons Registration (Objection and Maps) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2007
	36. Commons Registration (General) (Amendment) (England) (No 2) Regulations 2007
	37. Commons Registration (General) (Amendment) (Wales) Regulations 2007
	38. The Smoke Control Areas (Exempted Fireplaces) (England) Order 2010
	39. The Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination) Order 2007
	40. Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination) (Amendment) Order 2007
	41. Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination) (Amendment) Order 2009
	42. The Veterinary Surgery (Epidural Anaesthesia) Order 1992
	43. Veterinary Surgery (Rectal Ultrasound Scanning of Bovines) Order 2002
	44. Zoonoses and Animal By-Products (Fees) (England) Regulations 2009
	45. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) Regulations 2008

Farmers

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent estimate she has made of the number of farm workers in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The latest estimates of the number of farm workers in England as at June for each of the last three years are:
	
		
			   Number of farm workers( 1) 
			 2008 134,000 (14,000) 
			 2009 127,000 (10,000) 
			 2010 123,000 (11,000) 
			  Note: These figures include farm managers, the numbers of which are indicated in brackets.  Source: June Survey of Agriculture and Horticulture

Forestry Commission

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which Forestry Commission sites in England are to be disposed of in each of the next four financial years.

James Paice: The Government have launched a consultation on a range of new ownership and management models for the public forest estate. This includes proposals such as the transfer of heritage forests to charitable organisations, and the option for communities to buy or lease forests which are important to them. This consultation will inform the future of the public forest estate.
	The selection criteria for woodland in the Forestry Commission's 2011-12 asset sales programme have recently been agreed and published on the Forestry Commission's website. The Forestry Commission anticipates publishing details of the woodlands that will be selected for sale in 2011-12 by the end of February.

Forestry Commission

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her policy is on the creation of legal obligations on the maintenance of footpaths, tracks or public access to car parks on land leased or managed by the Forestry Commission which may be subject to sale during the comprehensive spending review period.

James Paice: The Government's policy is to protect the public benefits that are currently provided by the public forest estate. Our consultation on the future ownership and management of the public forest estate sets out and invites views on our proposals for protecting. The case for creating legal obligations on the safeguarding of existing footpaths, tracks or public access to car parks will be considered as part of that consultation. For sales that are completed before the consultation is concluded, the protection of public benefits will be a key factor in both the criteria for site selection and there will be an opportunity for the voluntary sector or public bodies to identify areas of land in which they have a particular interest in order to safeguard or enhance public benefits.

UK Forestry Standard

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects the revised edition of the UK Forestry Standard and its associated environmental guidelines to be published.

James Paice: I expect the revised edition of the UK Forestry Standard to be published later this year. As the forestry standard is of UK-wide application and forestry policy is devolved, publication will be through agreement with the relevant forestry Ministers.

JUSTICE

Appeals: Employment and Support Allowance

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of employment and support allowance appeals lodged in each quarter of the last two years were determined  (a) within six weeks,  (b) between six and 12 weeks,  (c) between 12 and 18 weeks,  (d) between 18 and 26 weeks and  (e) more than 26 weeks after submission.

Jonathan Djanogly: The following table shows the time taken from the date of a disputed Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) decision for employment support allowance being lodged with DWP to the date of clearance by the Tribunals Service.
	
		
			  Time in weeks from date of ESA appeal lodgement to clearance by Tribunals Service 
			  Weeks 
			   Number of appeals 
			   Less than 6  6 to 12  12 to 18  18 to 26  Greater than 26 
			 2008-09  
			 Quarter 3(1) n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Quarter 4 71 45 6 0 1 
			 Total 71 45 6 0 1 
			   
			 2009-10  
			 Quarter 1 270 1,100 780 120 3 
			 Quarter 2 370 3,300 4,200 3,000 270 
			 Quarter 3 500 3,800 6,500 9,900 2,600 
			 Quarter 4 360 2,700 6,300 12,600 11,600 
			 Total 1,500 10,900 17,780 25,600 14,500 
			   
			 2010-11  
			 Quarter 1 310 3,500 5,300 9,300 17,000 
			 Quarter 2 470 4,700 6,300 9,100 22,000 
			 Total 780 8,200 11,600 18,400 39,000 
			 (1) There are no data for quarter 3 of 2008-09 as ESA as a benefit came into existence in October 2008 and the appeals did not start to be received nationally until the last quarter of 2008-09. 
		
	
	The Tribunals Service's target is to issue a final decision for 75% of Social Security and Child Support appeals within 16 weeks of receipt from the DWP. Employment support allowance appeals take 9.2 weeks from the date of the original DWP decision to arrive at the Tribunals Service.
	The Tribunal has received an unexpectedly high level of appeals, against employment support allowance decisions. In response, the Tribunals Service has significantly increased its capacity and, nationally, 47% more Social Security and Child Support appeals were cleared in September 2010 compared to September 2009.

Appeals: Employment and Support Allowance

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of the Employment and Support Allowance Appeals Tribunal Service in each of last two years.

Jonathan Djanogly: Employment and support allowance (ESA) was introduced to replace incapacity benefit and income support from 27 October 2008. The Department for Work and Pensions forwards ESA appeals to the First-tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support. The Tribunal then aims to issue the final decision for 75% of appeals within 16 weeks. The time taken between appeals being lodged with DWP and being decided by the Tribunal means that 125 ESA appeals were decided during 2008-09. This increased to 70,500 during 2009-10.
	The cost of ESA appeals calculated by multiplying the average cost of an individual First-tier Tribunal-Social Security and Child Support case by the number of appeals decided during each year was £35,000 in 2008-09 and £19.8 million in 2009-10.

Appeals: Employment and Support Allowance

Duncan Hames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of applications for employment and support allowance made by residents of Chippenham constituency were rejected on the basis of the work capability assessment in each of the last two years; and in respect of what proportion of such applications that decision was  (a) reversed and  (b) upheld on appeal.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does not hold the data on work capability assessments for the Chippenham constituency. employment and support allowance (ESA) claims made within the hon. Member's constituency are dealt with by the Wiltshire unitary authority (UA). 32% of all new claims made within the Wiltshire UA from October 2008 to May 2010 were found fit to work by the end of October 2010.
	The following table shows the decisions made by the first-tier tribunal-social security and child support on work capability assessment related ESA appeals registered at the Chippenham tribunal venue.
	
		
			  Outcomes-Chippenham tribunal venue 
			   Total cleared at hearing  Decision in favour of appellant  Percentage decision in favour of appellant  DWP decision upheld  Percentage DWP decision upheld 
			  2008-09  
			 Q3 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Q4 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total  
			   
			  2009-10  
			 Q1 3 0 0.00 3 100.00 
			 Q2 10 4 40.00 6 60.00 
			 Q3 27 14 51.85 13 48.15 
			 Q4 44 21 47.73 23 52.27 
			 Total 84 39 46.43 45 53.57 
			   
			  2010-11  
			 Q1 110 57 51.82 53 48.18 
			 Q2 55 19 34.55 36 65.45 
			 Total 165 76 46.06 89 53.94 
			  Note: Data taken from Crystals Report 28 January 2011

Civil Law

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what research his Department has conducted on the ability of individuals without legal or advice work expertise to conduct their own civil law cases; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Department published research by Richard Moorhead and Mark Sefton of Cardiff university on this issue in 2005. This is available at:
	http://www.dca.gov.uk/research/2005/res05fr.htm
	The Department is also currently conducting a review of the existing research on litigants in person in connection with its proposals for the reform of legal aid. Findings will feed into the legal aid consultation response.

Courts: Travellers

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will take steps to reduce the time taken for consideration by the courts of applications relating to repeated incursions on the same piece of private land by Travellers, as has happened recently in Royds Lane, Leeds.

Jonathan Djanogly: We are not aware of any lengthy delays in cases relating to repeated incursions on private land by Travellers. The existing civil court process allows for a warrant of restitution to evict Travellers following wrongful re-entry on to the land to be made swiftly without the need for further notice to be served on Travellers. There are currently no plans to review the time taken to process applications of this nature.

Departmental Libraries

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) certified and  (b) chartered librarians his Department and its predecessors have employed in each year since 2000.

Jonathan Djanogly: The number of certified and chartered librarians employed by the Ministry of Justice and its predecessors is as follows:
	
		
			   Chartered  Certified  Total 
			 2011 12 0 12 
			 2010 13 0 13 
			 2009 14 0 14 
			 2008 15 0 15 
			 2007 14 0 14 
			 2006 13 0 13 
			 2005 11 0 11 
			 2004 11 n/a 11 
			 2003 10 n/a 10 
			 2002 9 n/a 9 
			 2001 8 n/a 8 
			 2000 9 n/a 9 
		
	
	The details for certification are only available since 2005 when this qualification was introduced by the Chartered Institute for Library and Information Professionals.

Insurance

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many individuals were  (a) prosecuted for and  (b) convicted of offences involving uninsured drivers of motor vehicles in the latest period for which figures are available.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows the number of persons proceeded against at the magistrates court, and found guilty at all courts for driving without insurance in England and Wales, for 2009 (latest available).
	Data for 2010 are planned for publication in the spring of 2011.
	
		
			  Number of persons proceeded against at the magistrates court and found guilty at all courts for driving without insurance, England and Wales, 2009( 1,2) 
			   Statute  Offence description  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 809/01 Road Traffic Act 1988 S.143(2) Using motor vehicle uninsured against third party risks 156,055 131,309 
			 (1) The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice

Prisoners: Armed Forces

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what percentage of  (a) the prison population and  (b) prisoners who have previously served in the armed forces have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder;
	(2)  what percentage of  (a) prisoners and  (b) the general population have served in the armed forces.

Crispin Blunt: The diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems suffered by prisoners is carried out by medical professionals under the NHS prison mental health in-reach programme. Figures are not held centrally on prisoners who have been so diagnosed and who are receiving treatment in prison.
	However, in the most recent survey of prisoner backgrounds published by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) in November 2010, 17% reported having been treated or counselled for a mental health or emotional problem in the year before custody. The results of this survey may be found in the House of Commons Libraries and at the following web link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/compendium-reoffending.htm
	In September 2010, the MoJ and Ministry of Defence published the results of a joint study to estimate how many prisoners in England and Wales had been in the Regular Armed Forces. This showed that 3.5% of prisoners had previously served in the Regular Armed Forces. This report may be found in the House of Commons Libraries and at the following web link:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/applications/newWeb/www/index.php?page-66&pubTvpe=3
	In the winter of 2009, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published the results of a study to estimate the number of Armed Forces veterans in the general population of England. This showed that 9.1% of the population were veterans.
	ONS Population Trends 138 may be found in the House of Commons Libraries and at the following web link:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=6303

Prisoners: Rehabilitation

Julian Sturdy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what criteria must be met for a prisoner to be allowed to be employed in the community as part of their rehabilitation strategy.

Crispin Blunt: A prisoner will be employed in the community only under release on temporary licence (ROTL). Prisoners must be assessed as both eligible and suitable before ROTL is permitted. The criteria for each test are detailed in Prison Service Order 6300, which may be accessed via:
	http://www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/resourcecentre/psispsos/listpsos/#
	ROTL will not be granted unless the purpose of the leave is one that contributes directly to the prisoner's resettlement into the community or, exceptionally, it is required to enable them to deal responsibly with unexpected family and personal events. Leave for employment purposes falls under the resettlement heading and is reserved for the latter stages of the prisoner's time in custody. All prisoners released on ROTL must first pass a rigorous risk assessment taking into account the risks of harm, reoffending and absconding, and the impact of the particular release upon both the victim and public confidence in the administration of justice.

Prisons: Christmas

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much expenditure was incurred by his Department under each budget heading in connection with marking Christmas in prisons in each year since 1997.

Crispin Blunt: The National Offender Management Service Agency's accounting system does not have an account code for expenditure on marking Christmas in prisons, therefore no expenditure information is available centrally and it would be necessary to ask each prison to provide information from its local records and this would incur disproportionate cost.

Supreme Court

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  who the members were of the Selection Commission for the Justices of the Supreme Court on each occasion when the Commission has been convened;
	(2)  what guidance he has issued under section 27(9) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005; and if he will publish the guidance he has given as to matters to be taken into account;
	(3)  if he will place in the Library copies of the  (a) advertisement,  (b) information pack for applicants and  (c) selection criteria in respect of each occasion on which a position on the Supreme Court was advertised.

Kenneth Clarke: Since the Supreme Court came into being there have been two selection commissions convened under the Act. Prior to 1 October 2009, it was agreed by the Lord Chancellor that the selection commission procedure be used on a non-statutory basis.
	In 2008-09, the commission convened to select replacements for Lord Hoffman, Lord Carswell and Lord Scott all of whom retired as Lords of Appeal in Ordinary. The commission comprised: Lord Phillips and Lord Hoffman as Senior Law Lord and Second Senior Law Lord respectively; Baroness Prashar representing the Judicial Appointments Commission of England and Wales, Mr Justice Weatherup representing the Judicial Appointments Commission in Northern Ireland and Ms Elspeth MacArthur representing the Judicial Appointments Board in Scotland. Lord Justice Collins, Sir Brian Kerr and Lord Justice Clarke were appointed.
	In 2009-10, the commission convened to recommend a replacement for Lord Neuberger, who was appointed as Master of the Rolls, as a Justice of the Supreme Court. The commission comprised: Lord Phillips and Lord Hope as President and Deputy President of the Court respectively; Baroness Prashar representing the Judicial Appointments Commission of England and Wales, Lady Smith representing the Judicial Appointments Board in Scotland; and Mrs Ruth Laird representing the Judicial Appointments Commission in Northern Ireland. Lord Justice Dyson was appointed.
	In 2010-11 a commission was convened to replace Lord Saville who retired in October 2010 and Lord Collins who will retire in May 2011. The commission comprised: Lord Phillips and Lord Hope as President and Deputy President of the Court respectively; Professor Dame Hazel Genn representing the Judicial Appointments Commission in England and Wales; Sir Muir Russell representing the Judicial Appointment Board in Scotland and Lord Justice Coghlin representing the Judicial Appointments Commission in Northern Ireland. I have very recently received the commission's report and am about to undertake consultation in accordance with section 28(5) of the Constitutional Reform Act.
	Under section 27(9) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005, the commission must have regard to any guidance given by the Lord Chancellor as to matters to be taken into account in making a selection. To date, this section of the Act has never been used and no guidance has ever been issued.
	I am today placing copies of the advertisements, information packs for applicants and selection criteria in respect of each occasion the commission has been convened in the Libraries of the House.

Supreme Court

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which  (a) persons and  (b) organisations were consulted by his Department on the selection process for Justices of the Supreme Court on each occasion on which an appointment was made.

Kenneth Clarke: It is set out in section 28 (5) of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 those whom the Lord Chancellor is required to consult following receipt of the report from the selection commission. No organisations are consulted. I list as follows the people who were consulted for each appointment made to the Supreme Court.
	For the appointment of Lord Collins, Lord Clarke and Lord Kerr in 2009:
	The Rt Hon The Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood
	The Rt Hon The Lord Carswell
	The Rt Hon The Lady Hale of Richmond
	The Rt Hon The Lord Hope of Craighead
	The Rt Hon The Lord Mance
	The Rt Hon The Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury
	The Rt Hon The Lord Rodger of Earlsferry
	The Rt Hon The Lord Saville of Newdigate
	The Rt Hon The Lord Scott of Foscote
	The Rt Hon The Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe
	The Rt Hon Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
	The Rt Hon Lord Hamilton, Lord President of the Court of Session
	The Rt Hon Lord Gill, Lord Justice Clerk
	The Rt Hon Sir Anthony May, President of the Queen's Bench Division
	The Rt Hon Sir Mark Potter, President of the Family Division
	The Rt Hon Sir Andrew Morritt, Chancellor of the High Court
	The Rt Hon Sir Mark Waller, Vice-President of the Court of Appeal, Civil Division
	The Rt Hon Lord Justice Higgins, member of the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland
	Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister for Scotland
	Rt Hon Rhodri Morgan AM, First Minister for Wales
	Rt Hon Shaun Woodward MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
	For the appointment of Lord Dyson in April 2010:
	The Rt Hon The Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood
	The Rt Hon Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony
	The Rt Hon Lord Collins of Mapesbury
	The Rt Hon The Lady Hale of Richmond
	The Rt Hon Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore
	The Rt Hon The Lord Mance
	The Rt Hon The Lord Rodger of Earlsferry
	The Rt Hon The Lord Saville of Newdigate
	The Rt Hon The Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe
	The Rt Hon Lord Judge, Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales
	The Rt Hon Sir Anthony May, President of the Queen's Bench Division
	The Rt Hon Sir Mark Potter, President of the Family Division
	The Rt Hon Sir Andrew Morritt, Chancellor of the High Court
	The Rt Hon Lord Neuberger, Master of the Rolls
	The Rt Hon Lord Hamilton, Lord President of the Court of Session
	The Rt Hon Sir Declan Morgan, Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland
	The Rt Hon Lord Gill, Lord Justice Clerk
	Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP, First Minister for Scotland
	Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM, First Minister for Wales
	Rt Hon Shaun Woodward MP, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
	For the appointment of the replacements for Lord Saville and Lord Collins, currently being undertaken:
	The Rt Hon Lord Rodger of Earlsferry
	The Rt Hon Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe
	The Rt Hon Lady Hale of Richmond
	The Rt Hon Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood
	The Rt Hon Lord Mance
	The Rt Hon Lord Collins of Mapesbury
	The Rt Hon Lord Kerr of Tonaghmore
	The Rt Hon Lord Clarke of Stone-cum-Ebony
	The Rt Hon Lord Dyson
	The Rt Hon Lord Judge (Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales)
	The Rt Hon Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury (Master of the Rolls)
	The Rt Hon Lord Hamilton (The Lord President, Scotland)
	The Rt Hon Sir Declan Morgan QC PC (Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland)
	The Rt Hon Lord Gill (Lord Justice Clerk, Scotland)
	The Rt Hon Sir Anthony May (President of the Queen's Bench Division)
	The Rt Hon Sir Nicholas Wall (President of the Family Division)
	The Rt Hon Sir Andrew Morritt (Chancellor of the High Court)
	The Rt Hon Carwyn Jones AM (First Minister, Wales)
	The Rt Hon Alex Salmond MSP (First Minister of Scotland)

TRANSPORT

Cycling

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to encourage cycling as a means of commuting.

Norman Baker: On the 19 January the Government published a Local Transport White Paper-"Creating Growth, Cutting Carbon". This strategy encourages greater use of public transport and more active travel, including cycling.
	The Government have announced a Local Sustainable Transport Fund of £560 million over four years for local authorities to bid for funding for sustainable travel packages, including measures to encourage cycling to work.
	The Department has also launched an electronic cycle journey planner, available via Transport Direct. People who would like to cycle can choose the quietest, quickest or most recreational route between two points. This is currently live in 31 areas and near England-wide coverage is expected by the end of March 2011.
	The DfT continues to support the Cycle to Work scheme through the provision of the Cycle to Work scheme implementation guidance and any further advice required by employers and employees via telephone and written correspondence.
	In addition the Department funds the National Business Travel Network, which launched a 'ways2work' tool kit in November 2010 to help people and businesses work more efficiently. The tool kit includes a section on commuting and encouraging cycling and walking for work.

Electric Vehicles

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has plans to address range anxiety for owners of electric vehicles.

Norman Baker: A strategy setting out how the installation of charging infrastructure can be promoted across the UK is due to be published in the summer of 2011. This will include the role of infrastructure in addressing range anxiety.
	To support and inform this strategy the Government have made available £30 million for infrastructure projects which will deliver over 8,500 charging points in eight places across the UK.

Electric Vehicles: Rural Areas

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has plans to install charging points for electric vehicles in rural areas.

Norman Baker: The Secretary of State for Transport announced the outcome of the second round of Plugged-In Places funding on 14 December 2010. Five projects were successful-based in Northern Ireland, Central Scotland, Greater Manchester, the Midlands and the East of England. These supplement the three existing projects in London, Milton Keynes and the North East. The projects cover a wide range of different locations, from large cities to rural areas and a range of technologies.
	The outcomes of these projects will inform the development of national policy regarding electric vehicle infrastructure, with a strategy for promoting the installation of charging infrastructure due to be published in June 2011.

Freight Facilities Grant Scheme

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much funding he has allocated to the Freight Facilities Grant scheme in  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) each of the next three years.

Michael Penning: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) £2.1 million was allocated to Freight Facility Grant infrastructure projects in 2010-11 before the scheme was suspended in England in July 2010.
	 (b) No funding has been allocated for the next three years. We have discontinued the scheme in England, as part of the measures necessary to reduce the deficit.

High Speed Trains: Property

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications have been made to the High Speed Two Exceptional Hardship scheme; how many such applications have been  (a) accepted and  (b) refused to date; what estimate he has made of the time taken from receiving an application to the applicant being informed of the decision; what the date was on which the least recent application not yet decided upon was received by his Department; and what the total amount of compensation is that has been committed under the scheme to date.

Philip Hammond: The Exceptional Hardship scheme (EHS) has, as of 21 January, received 115 applications. 20 applications have been accepted so far and 65 applications have been rejected. The remaining 30 applications have not yet reached the decision stage in the EHS process.
	For those applications where a decision has been made, it has taken on average around two months from receiving the application to inform the applicant of the decision, although this varies from application to application. Our aim is to give applicants a decision within three months wherever possible. The oldest application not yet decided on was received on 12 October.
	The total committed spend under the scheme so far is £9,083,750. This is the cost of properties where a valuation has been obtained and agreed with the applicant. Applications that have been accepted under the EHS but where a formal valuation of the property has not yet been agreed are estimated at a further £13,800,000.

HM Coastguard

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of HM Coastguard; and what assessment he has made of its likely future effectiveness.

Michael Penning: HM Coastguard's operational effectiveness is monitored using a combination of measures, including training and qualifications, equipment, operational readiness and response times.
	The effectiveness of the current arrangements can be affected by the limited ability to match resources to workload, as explained in the public consultation document 'Protecting our Seas and Shores in the 21st Century'. This document is available in the Libraries of the House and on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency website.
	We believe that the proposed future structure would improve the effectiveness of rescue co-ordination activity by providing a fully networked national arrangement that would allow work to be better distributed.
	In addition, the fully networked arrangements being proposed would improve the resilience of the system to disruption or discontinuity.

Leeds-Bradford Airport

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers used Leeds-Bradford airport in each of the last five years.

Theresa Villiers: The number of passengers that used Leeds-Bradford airport in each of the last five years for which published data are available is as follows:
	
		
			   Passengers 
			 2009 2,574,426 
			 2008 2,873,321 
			 2007 2,881,539 
			 2006 2,792,686 
			 2005 2,609,638 
			  Source: Civil Aviation Authority statistics

Motor Vehicles: Licensing

Caroline Nokes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of road fund licences were issued  (a) by the Post Office and  (b) in response to an online application in 2009.

Michael Penning: In 2009, 55% (23,554,102) of road fund licences were issued by the Post Office and 40% per cent (17,064,511) were issued online.
	Road fund licences were also issued by DVLA Local Offices and through an electronic link with fleet operators. Local Offices issued 2% (1,051,638) and 3% (1,256,089) were issued electronically to fleet operators.

Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation

Mark Spencer: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to publish his consultation on the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation.

Norman Baker: Amendments to the Renewable Transport Fuel (RTFO) Order 2007 are being considered to implement both the transport elements of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) and aspects of the closely related Fuel Quality Directive (FQD).
	We have taken additional time to consider how best to implement the RED and FQD and are working to transpose the Directives in the second half of this year, and to implement by the end of 2011. The Department will publish consultation documents shortly.
	As part of the consultation exercise we intend to set out a timetable for implementation and will share this with stakeholders. The consultation will include implementation proposals on the detail of the sustainability criteria to be transposed into the RTFO.

Rescue Services

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many times assistance from another state was requested for a search and rescue mission in each of the last five years; what asset was provided in each case; what the location of the incident was in each case; and on how many occasions the other state did not provide the assistance requested.

Michael Penning: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave on 22 November 2010,  Official Report, column 29W.
	The information is not held in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

Road Works

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has plans to introduce a levy on deep trenching by utility companies.

Norman Baker: The Government have no current plans to do so.

Speed Limits: Fines

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists received  (a) fixed penalty notices and  (b) convictions in respect of offences connected with exceeding temporary speed limits on motorways in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not collected centrally. Motoring offences data are collected by police force area only, and cannot be broken down to specific roads.
	Data on fixed penalty notices are published within chapter 3 of the Home Office Annual Statistical Bulletin: "Police Powers and Procedures". Data on convictions for motoring offences are published within chapter 8 of the Ministry of Justice Bulletin: "Criminal Statistics". Current and previous editions of both publications are available online and in the Library of the House.

Speed Limits: Fines

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorists received  (a) fixed penalty notices and  (b) court convictions for offences of speeding on the M6 Toll in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not collected centrally. Motoring offences data are collected by police force area only, and cannot be broken down to specific roads.
	Data on fixed penalty notices are published within chapter 3 of the Home Office Annual Statistical Bulletin: "Police Powers and Procedures". Data on convictions for motoring offences are published within chapter 8 of the Ministry of Justice Bulletin: "Criminal Statistics". Current and previous editions of both publications are available online and in the Library of the House.

Trust Ports

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to oppose any attempts by a trust port to amend powers available to him to require such a port to compulsorily transfer itself to a successor company for sale if there is a willing buyer.

Michael Penning: The Secretary of State's power to privatise certain trust ports compulsorily is contained in the Ports Act 1991. Under the Harbours Act 1964, it is possible to disapply statutory provisions such as these from a port by means of a harbour revision order.
	Under S.I. 2010 No. 674, most harbour revision orders from ports in England and Wales now fall to the Marine Management Organisation to determine within the procedures set out in the Harbours Act 1964 as amended by the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, and with regard to any relevant policy guidance from the Department for Transport. The Secretary of State will consider his position on any applications for harbour revision orders on their merits.

Trust Ports

Mel Stride: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward proposals to revise Schedule 2 of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 to make trust ports subject to the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.

Michael Penning: I do not believe the application of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967 to trust ports is required.
	The Department for Transport's guidance to the trust ports sector (Modernising Trust Ports, second edition) makes clear that trust ports should transact port business, in the interest of all stakeholders, openly and accountably.
	I am satisfied that the guidance, which represents a code of good practice, provides clear direction to the sector as well as to stakeholders with a complaint against a trust port. If a complainant believes the response from a trust port is not reasonable in addressing the grounds of their concern, the matter should then be reported to the Department for Transport.

Tyres: Snow and Ice

Denis MacShane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with his German counterpart the potential for use in the UK of tyres used in winter conditions in Germany.

Michael Penning: The Secretary of State for Transport will be meeting his German counterpart soon, but is not planning to discuss the use of winter tyres in the UK.
	Given typical UK winter weather and the cost of winter tyres (including cost of storage and changing tyres twice a year), it would not be appropriate to mandate their use in the UK.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Business Plans

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish of 30 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 661-62W, on business plans, what progress he has made in his consideration of the publication of an internal business plan for the  (a) Crown Prosecution Service and  (b) Serious Fraud Office.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) published a revised business plan for 2010-11 on its website on 6 January 2011. The plan sets out the CPS' priorities for the rest of 2010-11, including the work to be done to develop and publish a plan for the period to 2015. That plan will be published later this year.
	The Serious Fraud Office expects to publish a business plan covering 2011-14 on its website shortly.

Crown Prosecution Service: Extradition

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Attorney-General what the cost to the Crown Prosecution Service was under each category of expenditure of responding to extradition requests in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2008,  (d) 2009 and  (e) 2010.

Edward Garnier: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) does not separately record information on expenditure relating to extradition cases. The information sought could be obtained only at disproportionate cost (Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, part 2, clause 9).
	However, there is an Extradition Unit within the CPS Special Crime Division and it has been possible to identify expenditure incurred by the unit, broken down between administration and prosecution costs, since financial year 2007-08. This is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Administration costs 0.666 0.879 0.976 
			 Prosecution costs 0.823 1.243 0.774 
			 
			 Total 1.490 2.122 1.750 
		
	
	Administration costs include staff costs and general administrative expenditure for the Extradition Unit only. Prosecution costs also include witness expenses for the Extradition Unit.

Departmental Equality

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer of 7 December 2010,  Official Report, column 234W, on public expenditure, what progress has been made by the Law Officers' Departments on undertaking equality impact assessments in respect of the outcome of the comprehensive spending review.

Dominic Grieve: The Crown Prosecution Service Areas and HQ Directorate are currently developing detailed plans to enable them to work to appropriate quality standards within the allocated budgets. The detailed plans will be completed by the end of March 2011, and the planning process will include the completion of full equality impact assessments (EIA). The other Law Officers' Departments are not currently producing any EIA specifically related to the impact of the comprehensive spending review.

Public Expenditure

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General under what budget headings expenditure reductions will be made by the  (a) National Fraud Authority,  (b) Serious Fraud Office and  (c) Crown Prosecution Service following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review.

Dominic Grieve: The National Fraud Authority will continue with measures that have been implemented in 2010-11 to reduce expenditure on corporate services, conferences, external recruitment, marketing and advertising.
	The Serious Fraud Office will meet the requirements of the comprehensive spending review by making efficiency savings in all areas of its business, but especially on accommodation and corporate support areas, to ensure that the majority of its budget is focussed on investigating and prosecuting economic crime and supporting the victims of economic crime.
	Following the outcome of the comprehensive spending review, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) will make expenditure reductions under the following budget headings: staff costs, accommodation costs, IT costs, prosecution costs and general administrative costs. These budget headings cover the totality of CPS expenditure.

Public Expenditure

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Attorney-General whether he has made an assessment of the compliance of the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review with the provisions set out in  (a) equalities legislation and  (b) the Human Rights Act 1998; and if he will make a statement.

Dominic Grieve: The Law Officers' Departments are public bodies required to ensure that their policies and practices comply with the provisions of the Equality Act 2010 and Human Rights Act 1998.
	If any significant changes to management, staff or business structures result from the comprehensive spending review these will be assessed against these provisions, and where appropriate Equality Impact Assessments will be undertaken.

WALES

Remploy

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues on the future of Remploy factories in Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Cheryl Gillan: I have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues on a range of issues including supporting disabled people in employment.
	We are absolutely committed to supporting disabled people in work, including through Remploy. I appreciate the right hon. Lady's concerns for the factory in her constituency, in Aberdare, but I would reassure her that we confirmed as part of the spending review that the budget and status of Remploy Ltd remains unchanged.

Disability Living Allowance

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with Ministerial colleagues on the effect on claimants in Wales of proposed changes to disability living allowance.

David Jones: I have discussions with ministerial colleagues about a range of issues relevant to Wales. The time is right to reform disability living allowance. We need to create a new, more active and enabling benefit fitted to the needs of people in Wales and across Britain-a benefit fit for the 21(st) Century.

Comprehensive Spending Review

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent estimate she has made of the number of public sector job losses in Wales attributable to the implementation of the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review.

David Jones: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport West (Paul Flynn) today.

Localism Bill

Stuart Andrew: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions she has had with the Welsh Assembly Government on the implications for Wales of the provisions of the Localism Bill.

David Jones: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have had a number of discussions with the Welsh Assembly Government on the implications for Wales of the provisions of the Localism Bill.

Ministerial Visits

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when she next plans to make an official visit to Dwyfor Meirionnydd constituency.

David Jones: My right hon. Friend and I have carried numerous official visits across Wales and will continue to do so over the coming months. Indeed a ministerial visit will soon take place in the hon. Gentleman's constituency, to see the Fibrespeed broadband project-the good work it is already doing and its potential for further extension.

Consultants

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what payments her Department has made to consultants in relation to devolution since 1997.

David Jones: None.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Females

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to support women's participation in public life, conflict resolution and peace initiatives in Afghanistan in line with commitments set out in the Government's action plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Alistair Burt: The UK's National Action Plan on UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 has a specific country action plan for Afghanistan which sets out implementation of UNSCR 1325 through defence, diplomatic and development activities.
	Under these commitments, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continues to provide political and financial support to programmes which promote women's participation in public life, including support to female parliamentarians and to women's civil society groups. We have provided support to the Afghan Independent Election Commission's (IEC) Gender Unit through the United Nations Development Programme 'Enhancing Legal and Electoral Capacity for Tomorrow' (ELECT) project. We are promoting female involvement in the legal profession, which recently included a course in Helmand Province on criminal law and judicial ethics, attended by several women. We also continue to promote women's role in the peace and reintegration process, for example, through engaging with the female High Peace Council members and supporting a project to involve women in the Afghan Peace and Reintegration Plan.

Departmental Official Cars

Gregg McClymont: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Ministerial cars his Department has used since May 2010.

Alistair Burt: The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs uses a Government car but full details of his transport arrangements are not published for security reasons. Since May 2010 other Foreign and Commonwealth Office Ministers have used a combination of allocated and pool cars. From October 2010 only pool cars have been used. The new Ministerial Code, published on 21 May 2010, states that "the number of Ministers with allocated cars and drivers will be kept to a minimum, taking into account security and other relevant considerations. Other Ministers will be entitled to use cars from the Government Car Service Pool as needed." The Ministerial Code is available on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-code

Kashmir

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed Kashmir with his US counterpart; and whether he has discussed Pakistan's request for US mediation in finding a resolution in Kashmir with his  (a) Indian,  (b) Pakistani  or (c) US counterpart since his appointment.

Alistair Burt: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary regularly speaks to his US, Indian and Pakistani counterparts about regional issues including relations between India and Pakistan. He has not discussed the specific issue of US mediation over Kashmir. We recognise the importance of finding a lasting solution to the situation in Kashmir but it is not for the UK to prescribe one nor to urge others to mediate. It is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution, one which takes into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people.

Kashmir

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 13 December 2010,  Official Report, column 476W, on Kashmir, whether he has identified any potential mediators to assist in resolving the situation in Kashmir.

Alistair Burt: In my response to the hon. Member of 13 December 2010,  Official Repor t, column 476W, I reiterated the long-standing position of the UK; that it is for Pakistan and India to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, including the issue of self-determination of the Kashmiri people. We recognise the importance of finding a lasting solution but it is not for the UK to prescribe a solution nor to encourage third parties to mediate in finding one.

Personnel: Education

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of staff in the Diplomatic Service were  (a) policy and  (b) operational staff educated at (i) Oxford University, (ii) Cambridge University and (iii) public schools in each of the last four years for which figures are available.

Alistair Burt: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) does not hold data centrally on the educational background of diplomatic service staff. The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The FCO's recruitment policies are designed to encourage applications from the widest possible range of backgrounds. All external recruitment into the FCO is based on merit, and all campaigns must be fair and open. In addition, the FCO's internal promotion and progression schemes are firmly meritocratic, based on objective and consistent criteria against which all candidates are assessed.

Tunisia: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the recent violence in Tunisia; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Following the recent events in Tunisia which led to the creation of an interim government of national unity we welcome the reforms it has so far undertaken, that is, the legalisation of the political opposition, the liberalisation of the media, the release of all political prisoners and the announcement of democratic elections later this year.

Tunisia: Politics and Government

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the new unity government in Tunisia.

Alistair Burt: We have been closely monitoring the situation in Tunisia in recent weeks, including the formation of an interim government of national unity. We welcome the reforms it has so far announced, that is, the legalisation of the political opposition, the liberalisation of the media, the release of all political prisoners and the announcement of democratic elections later this year. We also welcome the announcement of commissions to investigate the issues of corruption, human rights, and political reform. We are following the debate inside Tunisia about the composition of this Government but regard this issue primarily as a matter for the Tunisian people.

War Crimes: Kosovo Liberation Army

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on investigating claims of war crimes on the part of the Kosovo Liberation Army; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Government's policy is that all credible allegations of war crimes should be thoroughly investigated and prosecuted by the appropriate authorities if evidence warrants it. The UK has been a strong supporter of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and its investigations to date in relation to crimes allegedly committed by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). I welcome Kosovo Prime Minister Thaci's public call for the EU's Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) to carry out a full investigation into the most recent allegations against the KLA. I encourage all relevant organisations and individuals to respond without due delay to the EULEX request for evidence in regard to these serious accusations.
	The UK remains a firm supporter of Kosovo and looks forward to working with the incoming Kosovo Government, once it is formed, in its effort to make further progress towards fulfilling Kosovo's European perspective.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Females

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to support women's participation in public life, conflict resolution and peace initiatives in Afghanistan in line with commitments set out in the Government's action plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) leads on delivering key commitments of the UK Government's national action plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 for Afghanistan. DFID supports a number of programmes that enhance women's participation and influence in public life and contribute to conflict resolution and peace initiatives in Afghanistan.
	For example in 2009-10 we helped pay for the salaries of over 49,000 female teachers through the multi-donor Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund. DFID is supporting WOMANKIND Worldwide to help strengthen civil society organisations in Afghanistan which promote women's civil, social, economic and political participation. DFID has also helped to establish four female Community Development Councils (comprising 150 women each) in Lashkar Gah, Helmand. These councils are enabling women to have a greater say in improving local infrastructure and public services and are also helping women take part in vocational training projects.

Departmental Libraries

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many  (a) certified and  (b) chartered librarians his Department has employed in each year since 2000.

Alan Duncan: The number of certified and chartered librarians employed by the Department for International Development (DFID) in each year since 2000 is as follows.
	
		
			   Number of certified librarians  Number of chartered librarians 
			 2000 6 Nil 
			 2001 4 Nil 
			 2002 2 Nil 
			 2003 3 Nil 
			 2004 3 Nil 
			 2005 2 Nil 
			 2006 2 Nil 
			 2007 2 Nil 
			 2008 1 Nil 
			 2009 2 Nil 
			 2010 1 1

Departmental Marketing

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Alan Duncan: During 2009-10 no money was spent centrally on Department for International Development (DFID) branded drinks coasters.
	DFID works in over 40 countries worldwide and does not collate figures centrally of sufficient detail to identify expenditure on items such as drinks coasters. All country offices are required to seek central approval before spending any money on promotional items. No spending on drinks coasters has been approved since April 2009. This system of requiring approval for any expenditure on marketing will stay in place for the foreseeable future.

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what regulations his Department has removed since 6 May 2010.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) has not removed any regulations since 6 May 2010.

International Labour Organisation

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department has provided to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in the last four years; and how much funding his Department plans to provide to the ILO in each year from 2011-12 to 2014-15.

Alan Duncan: The Department for International Development (DFID) provided a total of £17.05 million to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) over the past four years under a central partnership agreement. In addition, DFID funded ILO projects and programmes at a country level. Financial information on these country level programmes cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.
	DFID is reviewing funding to all multilateral agencies as part of the Multilateral Aid Review. A decision on funding for the ILO will be made when the review concludes at the end of February 2011.

United Nations Convention Against Corruption

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when he expects to receive the final pilot report of the UK's implementation of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption.

Alan Duncan: The Government have just agreed the final pilot review report with our reviewers from Austria and Greece. The report will be published shortly via the Department for International Development's (DFID's) website.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Alternative Vote: Referendums

Meg Munn: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will bring forward proposals to provide for a national recount of ballots in the proposed referendum on the alternative vote; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: The Government do not intend to introduce provisions to enable a national recount of ballots. Permitting a national recount is not practical because the poll will be administered on a regional basis, with results certified by region.
	Rule 43 of schedule 2 gives power to both Regional Counting Officers and the Chief Counting Officer to issue a direction for a recount of the votes to be conducted in only one specified circumstance that is, where the officer requesting the recount has reason to doubt the accuracy of the count (rule 43(4)).
	Rule 42(5) and 43(2) requires Counting Officers to provide either their Regional Counting Officer or the Chief Counting Officer with two statements: first showing the number of rejected ballots, the second a statement of results setting out the total number of ballot papers counted and the number of votes cast in favour of each question. From these, the Officer will decide whether the result can be certified or a recount must be conducted.
	The Regional Counting Officer's assessment is made on an individual basis and may only require a recount where the provisional statements provided to him by the Counting Officer suggest there has been a problem with the result in that area.

Alternative Vote: Referendums

Philip Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff in his office have been engaged in developing policy on the proposed referendum on the alternative vote; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: Policy on referendums rests with Elections and Democracy Division in the Cabinet Office. A team of six officials within that Division is responsible for policy on referendums, political parties and party funding. Different members of the team have had involvement at various points in work on the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill that makes provision for the referendum on the voting system for the House of Commons. In addition, other officials within the Division working on the conduct of elections have been engaged on the Bill. Given the range of responsibilities within the relevant team and wider Division, it is not possible to quantify exactly how much time officials have spent developing policy for the voting systems referendum. In addition to the officials developing policy referendums, special advisers to the Deputy Prime Minister provide advice across the range of his responsibilities.

Alternative Vote: Referendums

Philip Davies: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much has been spent from the public purse on preparations for the proposed referendum on the alternative vote to date; what budget has been established for political strategy in relation to the referendum; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Harper: No additional expenditure on policy preparations for the proposed referendum on the voting system for UK parliamentary elections over and above the usual running costs of Elections and Democracy Division and the costs of legal and parliamentary drafting resource. No specific budget has been allocated to the policy development of the referendum within that Division.
	Preparations for the conduct of the poll are undertaken by the Electoral Commission, funded through the Speaker's Committee, and with local authorities who will be reimbursed from the Consolidated Fund as is standard practice for UK-wide elections.
	The Deputy Prime Minister does not have a political strategy team or budget reserved for such a team. Special advisers to the Deputy Prime Minister provide advice across the range of his responsibilities and details of their salaries can be found at:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Lord-Lieutenants

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost to the public purse was of each lord lieutenancy in England in 2009-10; and what the estimated such costs are for  (a) 2010-11 and  (b) 2011-12.

Mark Harper: The Lord Lieutenancies of England are only partly funded by the public purse. The 11 Metropolitan Lieutenancies in England submit bids each year for a fixed amount of funding on the basis of an annual budget negotiated in advance between the Lieutenancy and the Cabinet Office. The 36 Shire Lieutenancies, however, are entitled to submit claims forms for certain costs to the Cabinet Office in order to be reimbursed for some of their duties.
	Due to the voluntary nature of the role, the expenses system for Lord-Lieutenants is not a public payment; it only serves to reimburse a small amount of the costs associated with performing the functions of the Lord-Lieutenant. There are limits to the amounts which can be claimed for certain areas of expenditure, such as secretarial costs and car hire and driver costs.
	The payments made in 2009-10 are shown in the table, with the Metropolitan Lieutenancies indicated. We do not have estimated costs for future claims. The specific role and functions performed by each Lord-Lieutenant vary widely depending on the Lieutenancy itself, the geography (i.e. physical size), population density, number of Royal visits, Lieutenancy engagements and other factors, and simple comparisons between the figures claimed by different Lieutenancies provide an inaccurate picture.
	In addition to these figures attributable to each Lieutenancy, a cost of £660.22 was incurred for the repair of Lord-Lieutenants uniforms in 2009-10.
	
		
			  County  Totals 2009-10 (£) 
			 Bedfordshire 3,145.15 
			 Berkshire 2,341.30 
			 Bristol(1) 39,000.00 
			 Buckinghamshire 6,053.25 
			 Cambridgeshire 6,825.96 
			 Cheshire 5,971.46 
			 Cornwall 9,750.71 
			 Cumbria 3,840.99 
			 Derbyshire 7,582.68 
			 Devon 17,003.33 
			 Dorset(1) 50,574.00 
			 Durham(1) 41,087.13 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire(1) 37,729.00 
			 East Sussex 6,690.24 
			 Essex 3,882.95 
			 Gloucestershire 14,475.92 
			 Greater London(1) 142,126.00 
			 Greater Manchester(1) 123,865.00 
			 Hampshire 17,080.96 
			 Herefordshire 7,163.47 
			 Hertfordshire 6,338.90 
			 Isle of Wight 13,917.42 
			 Kent 11,769.30 
			 Lancashire 8,820.77 
			 Leicestershire 11,730.00 
			 Lincolnshire 9,879.36 
			 Merseyside 109,543.00 
			 Norfolk(1) 2,093.87 
			 North Yorkshire(1) 11,275.40 
			 Northamptonshire 7,944.60 
			 Northumberland 6,485.32 
			 Nottinghamshire 3,844.60 
			 Oxfordshire 8,672.14 
			 Rutland 6,116.32 
			 Shropshire 0.00 
			 Somerset 3,860.93 
			 South Yorkshire(1) 63,406.00 
			 Staffordshire 12,830.30 
			 Suffolk 3,729.15 
			 Surrey 5,931.06 
			 Tyne and Wear(1) 99,229.00 
			 Warwickshire 2,510.80 
			 West Midlands(1) 129,910.00 
			 West Sussex 5,469.84 
			 West Yorkshire(1) 110,447.00 
			 Wiltshire 5,705.38 
			 Worcestershire 4,626.22 
			 Total 1,212,276.18 
			 (1) Metropolitan Lieutenancies.

CABINET OFFICE

Cancer

David Crausby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in each of the last 10 years;
	(2)  how many women were diagnosed with  (a) breast cancer and  (b) ovarian cancer in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions.
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2008. Please note that these numbers may not be the same as the number of people diagnosed with cancer, because one person may be diagnosed with more than one cancer.
	Table 1 provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of (a) female breast cancer, (b) ovarian cancer and (c) prostate cancer, in England, in each year from 1999 to 2008.
	The latest national and regional statistics on cancer incidence published by ONS are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=8843&Pos=3&ColRank=1&Rank=160
	
		
			  Table 1: Registrations of newly diagnosed cases of female breast cancer,( 1)  ovarian cancer and prostate cancer,( 2)  England, 1999 to 2008( 3) 
			  Registrations 
			   Breast  Ovarian  Prostate 
			 1999 35,511 5,650 22,387 
			 2000 34,843 5,637 24,593 
			 2001 35,606 5,936 28,015 
			 2002 35,434 5,746 28,246 
			 2003 37,646 5,796 28,503 
			 2004 37,915 5,565 30,975 
			 2005 38,859 5,628 30,053 
			 2006 38,909 5,609 31,476 
			 2007 38,596 5,548 31,236 
			 2008 39,681 5,092 30,893 
			 (1) Around 99% of breast cancers cases are in women. (2) Cancer diagnoses were defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C50 (breast cancer), C56 (ovarian cancer) and C61 (prostate cancer). (3) Newly diagnosed cases registered in each calendar year.

Economic Situation: Derby

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the gross value added was of the economy of the City of Derby was in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for the gross value added (GVA) of the City of Derby for each of the last ten years (37300).
	The Office for National Statistics publishes regional GVA for Derby Unitary Authority up to 2008. Data for 2009 will be published in December 2011.
	The most recent estimates of GVA for Derby are:
	
		
			   Total gross value added (£ million) 
			 1999 3,900 
			 2000 4,119 
			 2001 4,335 
			 2002 4,475 
			 2003 4,629 
			 2004 4,787 
			 2005 4,962 
			 2006 5,203 
			 2007 5,436 
			 2008 5,494 
			  Source: Table 3.1, Regional GVA, ONS, available on the National Statistics website at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/GVA_NUTS3.xls

Hospitals: Mortality Rates

Ian Lavery: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the  (a) mortality rate in hospitals in the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and  (b) the average mortality rate in hospitals in England was in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated January 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the (a) mortality rate in hospitals in the Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and (b) the average mortality rate in hospitals in England was in each of the last three years. (36689)
	It is not possible to provide mortality rates for hospitals within an NHS Trust as the information collected at death registration does not distinguish between the organisations managerially responsible for the patient's care. Although the name and address of the hospital where the death occurred is recorded at registration the services provide at a single hospital site may be managed by several NHS Trusts or private contractors.
	Further it is not possible for ONS to calculate mortality rates for patients within individual hospitals or groups of hospitals, as there are no readily available data for the denominator populations.

Politics and Government: Public Participation

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment he has made of trends in the public's involvement in the political process in the last 30 years.

Mark Harper: The Government, in partnership with the House of Commons, co-funds the Hansard Society's annual Audit of Political Engagement. The Seventh Audit found a mixed picture; for example, public participation in fundraising and voluntary work is on the rise. 27% of the public report helping with a fundraising drive, an increase of 7% since the previous year's Audit.
	However, the Audit showed that the MPs' expenses scandal had affected the public's satisfaction with and perception of MPs and the Westminster Parliament. There had also been a big decline since the first Audit in 2004 in the perceived impact of the Westminster Parliament on people's lives, compared to other institutions.
	Many of the issues raised in the Audit are the subject of the Government's programme of political and constitutional reform.

Solvents: Misuse

Mark Tami: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many fatalities resulting from the misuse of solvents there were among people aged  (a) under 18,  (b) 18 to 34,  (c) 35 to 49 and  (d) 50 or more years old in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated February 2011:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking how many fatalities resulting from the misuse of solvents there were among people aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 34, (c) 35 to 49 and (d) 50 or more years old in each of the last five years. (38073)
	The table attached provides the number of deaths where the underlying cause was drug poisoning and a volatile substance was mentioned anywhere on the death certificate for persons aged (a) under 18, (b) 18 to 34, (c) 35 to 49 and (d) 50 years or over, in England and Wales, from 2005 to 2009 (the latest year available).
	ONS reports annually on deaths relating to drug poisoning in England and Wales. For each death, every substance noted on the death certificate or mentioned by the coroner is recorded. It is important to note that the figures presented are not the total number of deaths involving volatile substances as (i) the underlying cause must be within the ONS definition of drug poisoning and (ii) the volatile substance may not be recorded by the coroner on the death certificate.
	As volatile substance abuse is known to be under-reported in official statistics based on death registration data, a project called the 'National Programme for Substance Abuse Deaths' (NPSAD) is funded by the Department of Health to measure trends in UK deaths associated with abuse of volatile substances, including solvents. The latest report from NPSAD on deaths associated with the abuse of volatile substances is available at:
	www.vsareport.org
	
		
			  Table 1. Number of deaths attributed to drug poisoning where a volatile substance was mentioned on the death certificate, by age group, England and Wales, 2005 to 2009( 1,2,3) 
			  Deaths (persons) 
			  Year  Under 18  18-34  35-49  50 and over 
			 2005 9 12 3 4 
			 2006 1 13 5 1 
			 2007 3 11 7 2 
			 2008 1 14 11 4 
			 2009 4 17 9 10 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the following box) and where a volatile substance was mentioned on the death certificate. (2) Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents. (3) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  ICD-10  Description 
			 F11-F16, F18-F19 Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco) 
			 X40-X44 Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X60-X64 Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 X85 Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances 
			 Y10-Y14 Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Copyright: Internet

Ivan Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects Ofcom to publish its code of practice on reductions in online infringement of copyright.

Jeremy Hunt: holding answer 1 February 2011
	 Publication of the code of practice on reductions in online infringement of copyright is a matter for Ofcom. Under the Digital Economy Act the deadline for the code to come into force has been extended to 31 March 2011.

Departmental Libraries

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many  (a) certified and  (b) chartered librarians his Department has employed in each year since 2000.

John Penrose: At present the Department does not systematically store this information, although recent IT upgrades should enable us to do so in the future. Currently there is no requirement to hold information relating to staff qualifications or expertise on their personal files unless the member of staff has been recruited into a specialist position. Some staff files will contain this information, but to extract the information manually would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Marketing

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department-branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available.

John Penrose: Nil.

Digital Broadcasting

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the preparedness of households in the London borough of Bexley for digital switchover.

Edward Vaizey: The Government do not collect statistics based on local authority areas. According to Digital UK, by November 2010, 81% of households in the London ITV region had converted their primary sets to digital television, and 79% are aware of switchover.
	Switchover will happen in London in 2012. Digital UK is responsible for informing viewers about this, including sending information leaflets to every home, advertising, roadshows and onscreen captions broadcast to analogue homes during the six months before a switchover.
	The Digital Switchover Help Scheme offers those aged 75 or over, disabled, registered blind or partially sighted, and anyone who is normally resident in a care home practical help to make the switch to digital television.

Holiday Accommodation

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with representatives of consumer organisations on proposed changes to quality assurance assessments of holiday accommodation under the Development of Tourism Act 1969;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the future development and assessment of sustainable tourism initiatives following proposed changes to quality assessment schemes operated under the Development of Tourism Act 1969;
	(3)  what procedures he envisages to protect the interest of persons with disabilities in securing access to accurate information on the recording and assessment of amenities and adaptations to holiday accommodation designed to facilitate use by disabled people following the proposed changes to quality assessment conducted under the Development of Tourism Act 1969; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: The Development of Tourism Act 1969 established the British Tourism Authority and Tourist Boards for England, Scotland and Wales with the responsibility for promoting the development of tourism to and within Great Britain. The quality assessment schemes help VisitEngland meet these responsibilities but their provision or promotion is not a statutory duty.
	In developing a tourism strategy, we are considering the need for a better balance between star-rating schemes and customer feedback websites, so customers can make a better and more informed choice. We are not considering abolishing the schemes, but rather passing them over to be run by the industry itself instead.
	Whatever decision is taken on rating schemes, VisitEngland will continue to support, identify and share advice with English tourism firms and destinations on sustainability and accessibility. There is already a wealth of information on VisitEngland's website to help businesses develop a sustainability programme and to provide detailed information for disabled tourists.
	Tourism is a devolved matter. The operation of quality assessment schemes in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Government.

Holidays

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will estimate how many UK citizens have taken a holiday within the UK in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

John Penrose: The following table shows the total number of domestic overnight trips made in the UK by UK residents between 2006 and 2009.
	
		
			  Trips (million) 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Base: All UK trips 126.29 123.46 117.71 126.01 
			 Pure holidays (not including visiting friends and family) 53.26 53.72 51.96 60.66 
			 All holidays (including visiting friends and family) 79.21 76.83 75.43 84.32 
		
	
	VisitEngland have advised that the survey analyses data on trips rather than people. The latest full year data available are 2009, and due to a methodology change midway through 2005, VisitEngland can supply data only for the years provided in the table.

Horserace Betting Levy Board

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if he will commission an independent assessment and external audit of the methodology and assumptions of the submission of Government-appointed members of the Horserace Betting Levy Board;
	(2)  what evidence-based assessment the Government- appointed members of the Horserace Betting Levy Board have made of the financial needs of the horse racing industry.

Hugh Robertson: I have no such plans. In their report to me of 30 November 2010, the members of the Horserace Betting Levy Board set out the basis of their assessment of the financial needs of the horse racing industry.

Industrial Health and Safety

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what progress his Department has made in reviewing the health and safety regulations for which it is responsible since his appointment.

John Penrose: The Department is currently considering how best to reform the regulation of entertainment under the Licensing Act 2003 while ensuring that adequate protection is in place in relation to public safety and the other licensing objectives. The Department also has responsibility for safety at sports grounds and, while we have no plans to change the regulatory regime, we have sought views from football authorities about the current policy for all seater stadia in the top two divisions in England and Wales. In addition, officials are working with the Health and Safety Executive on the Government's plans to reform the way in which adventure activity providers are regulated.

Libraries: Postgraduate Education

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the career prospects of students completing  (a) undergraduate and  (b) postgraduate courses in librarianship in each of the next five years.

Edward Vaizey: The Department does not hold statistics about the number of students graduating or predicted to graduate from librarianship courses each year or whether they are recruited into public libraries, academic libraries, business or civil sector libraries, or other industries.

Music: Licensing

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many live music licences were issued to premises with a capacity of under  (a) 100 persons and  (b) 200 persons in (i) England, (ii) Yorkshire and (iii) Leeds in each year since 2005.

John Penrose: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not collate data specifically on premises licence applications for the provision of live music, and does not collate data by premises size. This is because the Licensing Act 2003 defines activities, not premises type.

Tourism

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what proportion of the tourism marketing fund announced in August 2010 will be spent in East Anglia;
	(2)  whether people working in the tourism industry in East Anglia will have input into the use of the tourism marketing fund announced in August 2010.

John Penrose: The fund, referred to by the Prime Minister in August 2010, will be used to support an overseas tourism marketing and public relations campaign to promote Britain, taking advantage of the unique opportunities afforded by the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games and other major events, such as Her Majesty's diamond jubilee. Expenditure will therefore primarily take place abroad. Tourism businesses in all parts of the United Kingdom, including East Anglia, will benefit from the one million additional overseas visitors per year that we expect the campaign to attract. The campaign will be co-ordinated by VisitBritain in co-operation with private sector partners who have contributed to the fund. Any of those partners operating in East Anglia will have input into its content and, of course, concerned local members of Parliament can also make representations about their constituencies to officials or to me in the usual way.

Tourism

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of progress towards achieving revised common standards of quality assurance by the national tourist boards and the AA;
	(2)  what recent estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of participation in the programme to achieve revised common standards of quality assurance by the national tourist boards and the AA to date.

John Penrose: The tourist boards and the Automobile Association are in regular dialogue regarding the revised common standards in the major accommodation sectors (serviced accommodation and self-catering). They plan to introduce the revised standards later this year, with the support of industry.
	There will be no additional costs required to achieve revised common standards of quality assurance. Any changes to the standards are based on both consumer and industry research, and businesses are given up to two years lead-in time to make any changes which may result from the introduction of revised standards.
	Tourism is a devolved matter. The operation of quality assessment schemes in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Government.

Tourism: Coastal Areas

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess whether there has been a change in the economic state of the tourism industry in  (a) seaside towns and  (b) cities since May 2010.

John Penrose: The Department, in conjunction with VisitEngland, regularly assess the economic impact of tourism.
	Based on the most recent data available, and as shown in the table, domestic tourism expenditure in seaside towns from May 2010 to September 2010 saw an overall decrease compared with the corresponding months in 2009. Similarly, domestic tourism expenditure in large towns and cities saw a decrease for four of the corresponding months in 2009; however there were increases for August and September.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2010 
			   May  June  July  August  September  October 
			 Seaside -17.3 -18.8 -14.9 -17.5 -1.1 9.7 
			 Large city/large town -5.5 -24.4 -8.4 2.5 18.4 -3.4 
		
	
	2009 was of course a particularly strong year for domestic tourism, and both 2010 and 2009 represent significant improvements on performance in previous years.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Libraries

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many  (a) certified and  (b) chartered librarians his Department has employed in each year since 2000.

Owen Paterson: We have not employed any certified or chartered librarians during this period.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Regulations

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what regulations his Department has introduced since 6 May 2010.

David Mundell: Since 6 May 2010 the Secretary of State for Scotland has made or introduced the following regulations:
	The Scottish Parliament (Constituencies & Regions) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2691)
	The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) Order 2010 (SI 2010/2999)
	The Management of Offenders etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 (Disclosure of Information) Order 2010
	The Scottish Parliament (Disqualification) Order 2010
	The Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010
	The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 (Consequential Provisions) Order 2010

Departmental Regulations

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what regulations his Department has removed since 6 May 2010.

David Mundell: Since 6 May 2010 the Secretary of State for Scotland has by order revoked the following regulations:
	The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) Order 2007;
	The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) (Amendment) Order 2007;
	The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) (Amendment) Order 2008;
	The Scottish Parliament (Elections etc) (Amendment) Order 2009;
	Paragraphs 15 and 44 of Schedule 4 to the Health Care and Associated Professions (Miscellaneous Amendments and Practitioner Psychologists) Order 2009
	The Scottish Parliament (Disqualification) Order 2007

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Audit Commission: Conferences

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) purpose and  (b) date was of the Audit Commission's internal communications conference hosted at the Thistle Hotel Marble Arch, paid for in August 2010; and what the total cost of the conference was to the public purse.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	 Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 2 February 2011:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	This was a non refundable deposit for a scheduled meeting of the Audit Commission's top 60 managers on 22 September 2010. An external venue was booked as the Commission does not have an internal meeting room that can hold this number of people.
	In light of the coalition government's requirement for public bodies to make efficiencies the Commission decided to cancel this event, as additional costs would have been incurred.
	The deposit of £1,194.89 was the only money spent on this event.

Audit Commission: Conferences

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the purpose was of the expenditure of £138,824 by the Audit Commission in July 2010 on a conference at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	 Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 2 February 2011:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	This was an initial non refundable payment for the Commission's annual two-day managers' conference, which was due to take place on 30 November and 1 December 2010. The event was for 400 managers.
	Like many other organisations that have staff spread across the country, we have used an annual event to communicate with our managers and explain strategy for the year ahead.
	In light of the coalition government's requirement for public bodies to make efficiencies the Commission decided to cancel this event, to avoid the balance of the costs being incurred.

Audit Commission: Official Hospitality

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Audit Commission spent on  (a) functions and  (b) hotel room hire at the City Inn, Westminster in the last 12 months.

Bob Neill: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission and I have asked the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to my hon. Friend direct.
	 Letter from Eugene Sullivan, dated 2 February 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	The Commission has spent £10,726.87 on Commission activities at the City Inn in the last 12 months. The Commission has not used the City Inn for any such activities since June 2010.
	We have spent £63,540.38 on overnight accommodation in the last 12 months. This includes £18,055.36 on accommodation for the Chief Executive. The Chief Executive is required to be in London and he stays overnight in London on average 3 nights per week.
	£4,142 was spent on Commissioner accommodation. Commissioners are required to attend Board meetings in London and overnight accommodation is provided for those Commissioners who live outside a commutable distance.
	The remaining £41,342.52 was accommodation for Audit Commission staff from around the country who are required to stay in London overnight when attending our London office.
	Accommodation at the City Inn was purchased at the government rate.

Departmental Internet

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for West Bromwich East of 15 July 2009,  Official Report, column 485W, on departmental internet, whether he plans to upgrade his Department's web browsers from Internet Explorer 6.

Bob Neill: We are presently engaged in upgrading from Internet Explorer 6 to Internet Explorer 8. The Department's use of web browsers remains under review, reflecting new technology and the business costs and benefits.

Departments: Credit Cards

Aidan Burley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much Ministers in his Department and their private offices spent on their corporate credit card facility in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: Ministers in this Department are not issued with credit cards. The amount spent in 2009-10 on credit cards held by their private offices was £3,146.

Gardens: Property Development

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what monitoring arrangements are in place concerning the construction of dwellings on garden land.

Greg Clark: Further to the new Government's changes to planning guidance to give councils more powers to tackle unwanted garden grabbing, my Department is working with Ordnance Survey (the data provider) to develop a new land use category 'residential gardens' to enable numbers of dwellings built in this category to be recorded.

Heathrow Airport

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether any planning application for a third runway at Heathrow would be determined by the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit of the Planning Inspectorate.

Bob Neill: No, subject to the passage of the Localism Bill and the abolition of the Infrastructure Planning Commission, any (theoretical) application for a third runway at Heathrow airport would be examined by the Major Infrastructure Planning Unit but would be decided by the Secretary of State for Transport.

Home Information Packs

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent assessment his Department has made of the effects on the housing market of the ending of home information packs; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: No such assessment has been made.

Housing: Halifax

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funds his Department has provided for the purpose of supporting private sector spending on housing in Halifax in the last five years.

Grant Shapps: The Kickstart programme (2009-10 to 2010-11), managed by the Homes and Communities Agency, was targeted at private sector developers with the aim of unlocking the construction of high quality mixed tenure housing developments. £0.7 million was allocated from this programme to support the unlocking of 60 homes in Calderdale. The Homes and Communities Agency does not hold information on a constituency basis and so my Department is unable to provide a breakdown of how this allocation would have supported house building in the Halifax area.
	The New Homes Bonus, moving forward, will support all types of housing increases across Calderdale.

Localism Bill

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he plans to publish the impact assessment for part 2 of the Localism Bill; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The impact assessment for part 2 of the Localism Bill is available on the DCLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment/localismeufines

Solar Power: Brownfield Sites

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to confine the construction of solar parks to brownfield sites.

Bob Neill: Current planning policy assumes that renewable energy developments should be capable of being accommodated throughout England in locations where the technology is viable and environmental, economic, and social impacts can be addressed satisfactorily. We have invited organisations and individuals to offer their suggestions on what priorities and policies we might adopt in the new National Planning Policy Framework.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Adult Learning Grant

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which organisation will be responsible for administration of the Adult Learning Grant in future; whether the grant will continue to be paid after September 2011; and if he will make a statement.

John Hayes: Paragraph 44 of 'Investing in Skills for Sustainable Growth' sets out the Government's plans for adult learner support funds. The administration of those funds will be considered as the plans are developed.

Banks: Loans

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will ask the Office of Fair Trading to initiate an inquiry into the practice of banks charging interest on loans during the period in which payments on such loans are being processed by the bank and where the account from which the payment has been made is with the same bank.

Edward Davey: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) is not aware of having received complaints in respect of this particular practice. However, it considers that no further interest should be charged on loans once it is apparent to the lender that due repayment has been made. While it is accepted that banks need time to process payments, the OFT would expect the processing time to be appropriately short in particular where the payment is being made from an account held with the same lender. The OFT would expect lenders to be transparent with borrowers about the processing time for repayments of loans in order that borrowers can take steps to submit repayment in sufficient time to avoid the imposition of further interest or charges.

Fair Trading Act 1973

Natascha Engel: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what legislative amendments by  (a) Act or  (b) statutory instrument have amended the definition or meaning in law of the term 'participant' contained in section 118(1)(b) of the Fair Trading Act 1973; what definition of the term his Department uses in relation to that Act; what changes he has identified to that definition between the date of enactment of the 1973 Act and the present definition; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: Section 118(1)(b) of the Fair Trading Act does not contain the term "participant". The following therefore assumes the reference in the question to be a reference to the term "participants" in section 118(1)(a) of the Act as defined in section 118(8).
	There have been no legislative amendments to the definition of the term "participant" in section 118(8) of the Fair Trading Act 1973 which is the definition this Department uses in relation to the relevant sections of the Act. There have been no other changes to that definition.

Furs: Labelling

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will assess the merits of requiring clothing made from or trimmed with real fur to be labelled as such; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: No. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) already require traders to disclose whether clothing is made from or trimmed with real fur where this is material information which the average consumer needs to make an informed purchasing decision.
	A national requirement for fur products to be labelled would be at significant risk of breaching full harmonisation in the EU Unfair Commercial Practices Directive 2005 (UCPD) which the CPRs implement. This is because it would impose more prescriptive requirements than those in the directive which requires a case-by-case assessment of whether this proposed labelling is material information which the average consumer needs, according to the context, to make an informed choice.
	Where it is material information it would need to be given to consumers in good time before they make their purchasing decision.

Insolvency: Regulation

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has plans to align regulation of debt management providers with that of other professionals working in the insolvency sector.

Edward Davey: While there are no current plans to align regulation in the way you suggest, The Office of Fair Trading continues to work within the current licensing regime and you will be aware that as a result a number of debt management providers are facing licensing action.
	Our recent call for evidence, which looked at the whole personal insolvency regime, including debt management, closed recently and the Government response and proposals will be published shortly.

Local Enterprise Partnerships: Midlands

Margaret Beckett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made in establishing a local enterprise partnership for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

Edward Davey: The local enterprise partnership proposal covering Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire was given the go-ahead by the Government on 28 October 2010 and invited to put their governance arrangements in place. The Government are awaiting notification that this work has been done, at which point they will formally recognise the partnership. Government officials continue to work with the partnership as they take this work forward.

Manufacturing Industries: EC Countries

Simon Danczuk: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has made an assessment of the effect on the competitiveness of British manufacturing companies of short-time working arrangements in other EU countries.

Edward Davey: Short-time working arrangements are a matter for individual companies. Some EU Governments, but not the UK, support such arrangements through their labour market and social security policies and these have not been considered damaging to UK competitiveness. Also, some exceptional measures were introduced during the recession. It is important that these exceptional policies do not become permanent.

Manufacturing Industries: Immigration Rules

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to ( a) monitor and  (b) review the effect on manufacturing industry of the changes to immigration rules to take effect in April 2011.

Mark Prisk: The Government consulted widely with all sectors of industry during the development of the policy to limit non-EU economic migration. We will continue to monitor and review the effect of changes to the migration system on businesses, including in the manufacturing sector.

Money Lenders: Crime

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what regulations his Department has put in place to combat unscrupulous money lenders in the last 13 years; and what plans he has for further such measures in the next five years.

Edward Davey: The Consumer Credit Act 1974 requires providers of consumer credit to apply to The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) for a license. The legislation was reformed by the Consumer Credit Act 2006. This included requirements for the OFT to adopt a more targeted, risk based, approach to consumer credit licensing, focusing on the areas of highest risk to consumers.
	The Government are now considering further reforms to the Consumer Credit regime as part of the wider changes proposed to the institutional framework for financial regulation. A consultation document published on 21 December 2010 is considering the merits of transferring responsibility for consumer credit from the OFT to the new Consumer Protection and Markets Authority, thereby bringing consumer credit into the same regulatory regime as other retail financial services and with a view to delivering stronger protections for consumers.
	Since 2004, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has provided funding of more than £21 million to fund specialist regional teams across the country to tackle the problem of those lenders who operate without a license. To date, the teams have helped more than 16,000 victims, written off £37 million of illegal debt and secured over 180 convictions with prison sentences totalling 70 years.

Office of Fair Trading

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Office of Fair Trading in regulating businesses providing debt management plans.

Edward Davey: Since being given new powers in 2008, The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has focused attention on the debt management industry. It has set up a dedicated team to investigate the debt management market, carried out a comprehensive review of compliance in the industry and taken significant enforcement actions targeting the worst companies and behaviours.
	The key findings to emerge from the debt management compliance review, which included onsite compliance visits by Trading Standards Officers, a website sweep and a mystery shopping exercise, were that:
	misleading advertising is the most significant area of non-compliance, in particular failing to disclose a fee is retained by the business and misrepresenting debt management services as being free when they are not
	frontline advisers working for debt management companies are lacking in competence and are providing poor advice based on inadequate information
	there is low industry awareness of the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) rules for resolving consumer complaints.
	The OFT's compliance report set out a detailed action plan to improve standards across the industry, focusing on robust enforcement action against licensees that fail, or refuse, to change advertising and/or behaviour.
	The OFT published its compliance report in September 2010 and at the same time announced that it had warned 129 firms that they needed to submit evidence demonstrating compliance or face licensing action. As a follow up to this announcement, on 28 January 2011 the OFT confirmed that 35 debt firms had surrendered their licences, eight faced action to revoke their licences, seven were under further investigation and 79 had submitted evidence, which is now being reviewed.
	If action is taken against the additional seven companies and/or some of the 79 firms who submitted evidence are found to be non-compliant, the OFT will publicise the details of this enforcement action at the appropriate time.
	As well as taking action as a result of the compliance review, the OFT has also taken a number of other licensing actions in the debt management sector and has cracked down on look-a-like debt management websites posing as charity or official sites, misleading trading names, inappropriate cold calling (working with the Information Commissioners Office) and has refused to licence companies that cannot demonstrate sufficient competence or experience. Since April 2008, the OFT has taken 37 licensing actions, issued notices to 69 companies/ traders, sent 185 warning letters and 951 advisory letters.
	The OFT is also in the process of updating its Debt Management Guidance to take explicit account of new and emerging unfair business practices, and will work with the two main trade bodies, the Debt Managers Standards Association (DEMSA) and the Debt Resolution Forum (DRF) to support their initiatives to introduce higher standards in the industry.

Office of Fair Trading: Inspections

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many on-site compliance visits have been carried out by the Office of Fair Trading in relation to compliance with its Debt Management Guidance since September 2010.

Edward Davey: Since September 2010 The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has completed or is in the process of arranging for Local Authority Trading Standards Services (LATSS) officers to visit and check the competence and compliance of a further 30 new applicants. This rolling programme of compliance visits is a key element of the OFT's action plan for addressing problems identified in its compliance review findings report, published in September 2010, and forms part of the OFT's wider strategy for pro-actively monitoring compliance with its debt management guidance.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Departmental Manpower

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will assess the likely effects on his Department's staffing levels in Livingston constituency  (a) in each local office and  (b) by the service provided of the implementation of the outcomes of the comprehensive spending review.

Chris Grayling: As the Department for Work and Pensions has two Jobcentre Plus Offices in the Livingston constituency and the administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Darra Singh. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Darra Singh:
	The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question; the likely effects on (a) his Department's staffing levels in Livingston constituency for each local office and (b) service provided of the implementation of the outcomes of the Comprehensive Spending Review. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	We are currently finalising national budgets for the year ahead and we have not yet worked through the staffing levels to individual Jobcentres. I will write to notify you of our staffing position in the two Jobcentres in your constituency before the end of the financial year.
	Under the terms of the Spending Review, our funding includes supporting the Government's welfare reform agenda, such as Universal Credit. However, the Department also needs to continue making significant efficiencies in its work to meet a 26 per cent reduction in real terms from its core budget.
	For Jobcentre Plus this will mean a significant transformation of our business, exploiting technology and using the experience of our own people to drive out inefficiencies in our processes.
	Under the Government's proposals for "Get Britain Working", Jobcentres and community partners will offer personalised advice and a menu of flexible support options, for example, through local community Work Clubs, offering Work Experience in local businesses, and "Work Together" volunteering options. From summer 2011 we will introduce the Work Programme through contracted providers.

Employment and Support Allowance

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of those in the work-related activity group of employment and support allowance he expects to be successful in finding work within one year.

Chris Grayling: The Department does not forecast the number of people who we expect to find work. The new Work Programme, in conjunction with support from Jobcentre Plus, will provide tailored, personalised employment support to help maximise the number of customers, including those in the Work-Related Activity Group, who find a job.

Employment and Support Allowance: Cancer

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reason a person receiving oral chemotherapy who applies for employment and support allowance is placed in the work-related activity group whereas a person receiving non-oral chemotherapy is placed in the support group; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: The WCA is a functional assessment, which looks at what someone can do rather than basing entitlement on their diagnosis. However, in recognition of the potentially severe functional limitation caused by types of chemotherapy, these customers can be 'treated' as having limited capability for Work-Related Activity even if they do not meet the functional criteria. Chemotherapy can be associated with a range of side effects varying from mild to severe. The purpose of this policy is that those experiencing the most severe functional limitations as a result of cancer treatment are automatically entitled to enter the Support Group of ESA. We have asked Professor Harrington, as part of his second annual review of the WCA, to explore whether the current policy best reflects this intent.

Employment: Young People

Ann McKechin: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the removal of the default retirement age on levels of youth employment in Scotland.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	In removing the default retirement age (DRA) we are removing a regulation which restricts people's ability to remain in the labour market. Based on the evidence, including that which is set out in our impact assessment-available at
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/employment-matters/docs/p/11-634-phasing-out-default-retirement-age-impact-assessment.pdf
	we do not believe that this will have a damaging effect on the employment of young people in Scotland or elsewhere. It will boost labour supply, which in turn leads to increased economic output, tax revenue and profits. Increasing the size of the labour force increases the productive potential of the economy as a whole and therefore provides a general economic benefit.

Housing Benefit: Scotland

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average amount of housing benefit paid was for each tenure type in  (a) the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area and  (b) Dumfries and Galloway constituency in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The average amount of housing benefit paid in the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area for each tenure type is as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 All tenures 61.50 
			   
			  Tenure type  
			 Social rented sector 57.37 
			 Private rented sector 75.26 
			  Notes: 1. Recipients are as at second Thursday of the month. 2. Average awards are shown as pounds per week and rounded to the nearest penny. 3. Tenure type does not include recipients with unknown tenure type. 4. SHBE is a monthly electronic scan of claimant level data direct from local authority computer systems. It replaces quarterly aggregate clerical returns. 5. The data are available monthly from November 2008 and September 2010 is the latest.  Source: Single Housing Benefit Extract 100% individual level data (SHBE), September 2010. 
		
	
	 (b) The information is not available.
	At present geographic breakdowns are only available for local authorities and regions. However, an exercise is being undertaken to add other geographical areas to the data which will include parliamentary constituencies.

Industrial Health and Safety

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what progress his Department has made on reviewing the  (a) employment law and  (b) health and safety regulations for which it is responsible since his appointment.

Chris Grayling: The Department for Work and Pensions is fully engaged in the Whitehall wide review of employment and workplace law announced earlier this year. While DWP does not have responsibility for employment laws we are considering areas of regulation that affect employers and their employees, area by area, over the long term.
	Lord Young's review of health and safety laws and the compensation culture, 'Common Sense, Common Safety', carried out for the Prime Minister, was published on 15 October 2010. Actions to implement Lord Young's recommendations are being taken forward across Government in line with the timetable set out in his report.

Insolvency

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the likely number of applications for insolvency in  (a) Sunderland,  (b) the North East and  (c) nationally in the next 12 months.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	The Insolvency Service only holds statistics for actual insolvency cases.
	Regional statistics for individual insolvencies are published on the Insolvency Service website:
	http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/regionalstatisticsmenu.htm
	The figures for the North East, Sunderland and England are reproduced in the following table.
	
		
			  Total individual insolvencies 
			   North East  Sunderland  England 
			 2000 1,413 142 23,861 
			 2001 1,441 154 25,116 
			 2002 1,563 143 26,125 
			 2003 1,710 191 31,370 
			 2004 2,119 221 41,554 
			 2005 2,991 387 61,661 
			 2006 5,358 634 98,239 
			 2007 5,411 682 98,380 
			 2008 5,930 729 98,506 
			 2009 7,855 869 124,044 
		
	
	Figures for corporate insolvencies are only available for England and Wales as a whole, and are published on the Insolvency Service website:
	http://www.insolvency.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/insolvency-statistics.htm
	Forecasts of likely insolvencies are not produced by Government.
	However, petitions for the winding up of a company or partnership or the bankruptcy of an individual are made via the courts and petition statistics are the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice.
	The Ministry of Justice publishes petition statistics for bankruptcies and compulsory liquidations by region. The latest statistics are available here:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/companywindingupandbankruptcy.htm

Jobseeker's Allowance

Alan Whitehead: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) the UK,  (b) each region of England,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Wales are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance; and how many of these people claim housing benefit.

Chris Grayling: The following table provides the number of people in  (a) the UK,  (b) each region of England,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Wales who are in receipt of jobseeker's allowance.
	The information on jobseeker allowance claimants also in receipt of housing benefit is not available. Information is collected on the number of housing benefit claimants in receipt of a passporting benefit, which includes income-based jobseeker's allowance. However the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit is not available.
	
		
			  Government office region  Caseload 
			 North-east 80,900 
			 North-west 178,900 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 144,300 
			 East midlands 96,800 
			 West midlands 157,900 
			 East 108,600 
			 London 216,300 
			 South-east 131,700 
			 South-west 82,000 
			 Wales 71,200 
			 Scotland 135,600 
			 United Kingdom 1,462,700 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. United Kingdom figures include Northern Ireland. 3. These figures are published at: http://www.nomisweb.co.uk/Default.asp  Source: NOMIS Claimant Count (Seasonally Adjusted), November 2010

Older Workers: Scotland

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the number of workers aged 65 years in  (a) Scotland and  (b) Livingston constituency who are likely to remain in the workforce for an additional year in 2011 following the end of the default retirement age.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	Our impact assessment estimates that around 6,000 additional workers are likely to remain in the workforce across the UK in the first year. No separate estimate was made for Scotland. We do not have data from which to produce robust estimates on the proportion likely to remain in the work force at the sub-regional level. The full impact assessment was published on 13 January and is available at:
	http://bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/employment-matters/docs/p/11-634-phasing-out-default-retirement-age-impact-assessment.pdf

Social Security Benefits: Prisoners

Karl Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of people claiming  (a) jobseeker's allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) income support have a partner in prison.

Chris Grayling: The requested information is not available.

Universal Credit

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he plans to provide additional support to  (a) parents of disabled children,  (b) children with a disability,  (c) carers and  (d) pensioners with children when determining the entitlement criteria for universal credit.

Chris Grayling: Universal credit will consist of a basic personal allowance with additional amounts for disability, caring responsibilities, housing costs and children.
	We are looking at what extra support may be needed for disabled people in universal credit. At the same time we will consider the structure of support for disabled children.
	We are reviewing whether changes to carer's allowance will be necessary to take account of the introduction of universal credit.
	Finally we are considering how best to support pensioners with the cost of rent and dependent children and plan to make some changes to pension credit. These changes will consolidate support for rent with the help available for other housing costs within pension credit, and add a further element to provide income-related help for pensioners with dependent children.

Universal Credit

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what consideration will be given to childcare costs in determining entitlement to universal credit.

Chris Grayling: The Government are continuing to work with stakeholders to establish the best approach to supporting parents with the costs of childcare in universal credit. We will announce our conclusion in the coming months.

Work Capability Assessment

Nick Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what importance will be placed on the views of claimants' GPs in work capability assessments for the purposes of the payment of employment and support allowance under his proposals for welfare reform.

Chris Grayling: The Department's decision maker must consider all the available evidence before making a decision on benefit entitlement. Any information provided by a claimant's GP is therefore fully considered.

TREASURY

Departmental Marketing

Conor Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department-branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Justine Greening: No spending was incurred in 2009-10 by the Treasury on Department-branded drinks coasters.

Departmental Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many  (a) women and  (b) men have been appointed to public duties by his Department since May 2010;
	(2)  what public appointments he has made since his appointment; and to what payments each person so appointed is entitled;

Justine Greening: Information on key public appointments made since May 2010 is published in individual press releases. Where details of remuneration are not included in the release, they should be published separately by the relevant body. HM Treasury press releases are available at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/newsroom_and_speeches.htm
	In December 2010 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the appointment of a lead non-executive director to the Treasury Board. The relevant press release, which is on the Cabinet Office website, can be found at the following link.
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/news/uk-leaders-appointed-support-whitehall%E2%80%99s-transformation
	Information on the gender of those serving on the boards of public bodies is published annually. Information for the 2010-11 period will be published in due course.

Double Taxation: Scotland

Katy Clark: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had on the potential for double taxation to occur as a result of granting greater fiscal powers to the Scottish Parliament.

Danny Alexander: The increased fiscal powers for the Scottish Government introduced in the Scotland Bill will not increase the potential for double taxation. The Scottish rate of income tax will be payable by those individuals who meet the definition of a Scottish taxpayer. This definition has been designed to leave in place the existing rules and procedures which currently apply to individuals who are tax resident in the UK.
	This means that a Scottish taxpayer will continue to have access to double taxation relief under the UK's international taxation agreements in the same way as anyone else who is resident in the UK.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much revenue was raised through duties payable on fuel in each of the last five years;
	(2)  what information his Department holds on the  (a) amount and  (b) proportion of revenue from duties on fuel arising from each (i) county council and (ii) metropolitan area.

Justine Greening: HM Revenue and Customs routinely publishes data on fuel duty revenues accruing to the Exchequer through fuel duty from 1999 to date at:
	www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bulloil
	The method by which revenue is collected directly from fuel producers does not distinguish between different fuel consumers or geographic areas.

Excise Duties: Fuels

Graeme Morrice: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the likely effects on small businesses of increases in the rate of fuel duty.

Justine Greening: Small businesses are affected by a range of measures to tackle the deficit and support growth including fuel duty and other policy measures. The June 2010 Budget set out changes to corporation tax to reduce the small profits rate to 20% from April 2011 and the main rate will reduce from 28% to 24% over the course of four financial years. Businesses may reclaim VAT and deduct other business costs including fuel costs under existing business tax arrangements.

Inflation

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the difference in effects of levels of inflation on  (a) the elderly and  (b) other age groups.

Justine Greening: The Office for National Statistics (ONS) produces inflation figures by different household types. The UK's monetary policy framework gives operational responsibility for maintaining price stability to the independent Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England. However, the Government recognise the pressures that those on fixed incomes, including pensioners, face when prices increase.
	To help pensioners the Government have restored the earnings link and given a triple guarantee that the basic state pension will increase by the highest of the growth in average earnings, prices or 2.5%, and is also preserving key benefits and pensions for older people.

Petrol: Prices

Iain Wright: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential relationship between the price of petrol in  (a) the UK and  (b) other European countries and economic activity and growth in the UK; and if he will make a statement.

Justine Greening: The sterling oil price has risen 28% over the past year, and the euro area oil price by 35%. The Government consider a range of factors when making their assessment of economic activity and growth in the UK and the world economy.
	The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) is responsible for producing independent economic and fiscal forecasts. The OBR published its latest economic forecast on 29 November 2010, which can be found online at:
	http://budgetresponsibility.independent.gov.uk
	The OBR's forecast for growth in the UK is broadly consistent with the Bank of England and HM Treasury's latest average of independent forecasts.

EDUCATION

Academies

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will place in the Library a copy of the legal advice which informed Lord Hill's letter of 15 December 2010 to head teachers of schools that have applied to convert to academy status.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 January 2011
	It is a long established principle of law that legal advice to any person, including to Ministers, attracts legal professional privilege and is, accordingly, not required to be disclosed. That principle is also recognised in the Freedom of Information Act 2000, where there is a specific exemption against disclosure in relation to information that would be covered by legal professional privilege. I do not intend, in the circumstances, to place in the Library any legal advice that may have informed Lord Hill's letter.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what resources his Department has allocated to responding to legal challenges from the local authorities who have had their Building Schools for the Future funding withdrawn.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 24 January 2011
	 The Secretary of State is defending this action and has engaged Treasury Solicitors and leading counsel in the normal way.

College of Social Work

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which trade unions are involved in discussions on the establishment of the College of Social Work.

Tim Loughton: In 2009 the Social Work Task Force recommended the establishment of an independent College of Social Work to articulate and promote the interests of good social work. It will give the profession itself strong, independent leadership; a clear voice in public debate, policy development and policy delivery; and strong ownership of professional social work standards.
	The establishment process for the College was guided from January to September 2010 by a development group with representation from across the social work sector, including frontline practitioners, employer representatives, regulators, educators, work force organisations and the British Association of Social Workers, Unison and Aspect. Since September interim co-chairs and an interim board have been appointed who are taking forward this work and have maintained links with all parties.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce its carbon emissions to meet the target of reducing central Government carbon emissions by 10 per cent. by June 2011.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education has recently completed a number of projects in its HQ buildings to meet the target of reducing central Government carbon emissions by 10% by June 2011. These include building software modifications and installing energy saving variable speed drives on pumps, motors and fans.
	Estate rationalisation in Sheffield has also yielded significant emission reductions when the Department relocated to smaller, more efficient accommodation in June 2010.

Departmental Official Cars

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many Ministerial cars have been used by his Department since May 2010;
	(2)  what the  (a) make and  (b) model was of each car provided by the Government Car Service for use by his Department since May 2010; and which Minister of his Department has used each such vehicle.

Tim Loughton: Five allocated cars were inherited from the previous Administration. Details of  (a) make and  (b) model are as follows:
	
		
			  Number  Vehicle make/model 
			 1 Jaguar XJ TDVi Sovereign (changed to Toyota Avensis T4 in July 2010) 
			 3 Toyota Prius T3 
			 1 Honda Civic ES Hybrid 
		
	
	However, since 6 September 2010 only the Secretary of State retains an allocated vehicle.

Departmental Official Cars

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on services provided by the Government Car Service since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: The total invoiced expenditure on the Government Car Service for the Department for Education is £180,050 since May 2010. This compares with a cost of £447,915 for the same period in 2009-2010. Both figures relate to cost incurred from 12 May to 19 January for all car services.

Departmental Pay

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the number of sub-contracted staff servicing his Department who were not paid at a rate equivalent to or above the London living wage in the latest period for which figures are available.

Tim Loughton: All contracted staff working for the Department for Education in London are paid at the 2010 level of the London living wage or above of £7.60 per hour. This does not apply to contracted staff working at our regional headquarter offices who are paid at the level of the national minimum wage or above.
	A decision on paying the 2011 level of £7.85 to London contracted staff is still to be determined.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pieces of artwork his Department has moved since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: Since May 2010 three items which were on loan to the Department for Education from the Government Art Collection have been returned to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department has spent on redecorating ministerial offices since May 2010.

Tim Loughton: There has been no expenditure on redecoration of ministerial offices since May 2010.

Departmental Working Conditions

Mike Freer: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his Department's policy is on  (a) the space provided per employee,  (b) home working and  (c) hot desking; how many employees it has on average per desk; and how much space on average there is per employee.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education seeks to comply wherever possible with the guidance issued for central Government Departments on the efficient use of space which provides for a best practice target density of 10 square metres per person or better.
	The Department has a policy of encouraging flexible working practices and has invested in technology to allow staff to work remotely, including from home, and has plans to improve the quality of this service to allow for more effective remote working.
	The Department is in the process of introducing flexible working practices across its estate. Two of its four office buildings (St Paul's Place, Sheffield and Sanctuary Buildings, London) are already configured and operating in a flexible working environment and plans are in place to introduce this policy across the other two sites when it becomes cost effective and appropriate to do so.
	The Department has on average one employee per desk and is currently achieving on average 14 square metres per employee. In sites where we have introduced flexible working environments our space utilisation are far better than those sites still operating in traditional working environments. The Department's ratio of employee per desk and square metre per person has recently been adversely affected by headcount reductions, although the Department has plans in place to improve its efficiency by property rationalisation and bringing tenants into space recently freed up by these staff reductions.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what estimate he has made of the costs to his Department arising from the reduction in value of Capita's contract for education maintenance allowance; and whether his Department is liable for penalty payments under that contract as a result of the reduction.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 25 January 2011
	We are working with the Young People's Learning Agency, which administers the education maintenance allowance scheme on behalf of the Department for Education, to assess any costs that may arise from the reduction in value of Capita's contract. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has responded separately to the hon. Member for Scunthorpe on the question regarding liability for penalty payments, and a copy has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Peter L auener, dated 13 January 2011:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 33775.
	The Department of Education has responded to you regarding the first part of your question. I have been asked to provide a reply to the latter part of your question regarding our liability to penalty payments as a result of the reduction to the value of the Capita contract.
	I can confirm that we are not liable to penalty payments under this contract as a result of the reduction.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Halifax

Linda Riordan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will estimate the number of people in Halifax constituency who received education maintenance allowance in 2010.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member for Halifax with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 25 January 2011:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 35955 that asked:
	"How many people in Halifax constituency are estimated to have received education maintenance allowance in 2010."
	Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at local authority level, but not at constituency level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
	As at 31 December 2010, the take-up figure for young people in Calderdale who have received EMA during the 2010/11 academic year was 2,819.
	EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 2008/09 and 2009/10 is available on the YPLA website, at the following address:
	http://ema.ypla.gov.uk/resources/research/takeup/

Education Maintenance Allowance: North Yorkshire

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many young people receive education maintenance allowances in each  (a) unitary authority and  (b) district council area in York and North Yorkshire.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 27 January 2011:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 36566.
	Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available for upper tier local authorities but not at district council level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
	
		
			  Local authority  Take-up (as at  31 December 2010) 
			 York 1,540 
			 North Yorkshire 5,262 
		
	
	EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 is available on the YPLA website, at the following address:
	http://ema.ypla.gov.uk/resources/research/takeup/

Education Maintenance Allowance: North Yorkshire

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the total monetary value of education maintenance allowance paid in each  (a) unitary authority and  (b) district council area in York and North Yorkshire was in each year since its inception.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 27 January 2011:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 36567.
	Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available for upper tier local authorities but not at district council level. Local authority expenditure figures are available from the start of the 2009/10 academic year.
	EMA expenditure for the two years for which figures are available is:
	
		
			  York 
			  Academic year  Expenditure (£) 
			 2009/10 1,352,195 
			 2010/11 (as at 31 January) 544,045 
		
	
	
		
			  North Yorkshire 
			  Academic year  Expenditure (£) 
			 2009/10 £4,838,490 
			 2010/11 (as at 31 January) £1,919,185

Education Maintenance Allowance: Sussex

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many students in  (a) Mid Sussex and  (b) West Sussex were in receipt of education maintenance allowance in each of the last five years.

Nick Gibb: This is a matter for the Young People's Learning Agency (YPLA) who operate the education maintenance allowance for the Department for Education. Peter Lauener, the YPLA's chief executive, has written to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply has been placed in the House Libraries.
	 Letter from Peter Lauener, dated 28 January 2011:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question PQ 36968.
	Information on the number of young people who have received Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is available at local authority level, but not at constituency level. EMA take-up is defined as young people who have received one or more EMA payments in the academic year.
	EMA take-up data showing the number of young people who have received one or more EMA payments during 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10 is available on the YPLA website, at the following address:
	http://ema.ypla.gov.uk/resources/research/takeup/
	The table below shows take-up figures for all three Local Authorities within Sussex.
	
		
			  Academic year  West Sussex local authority  East Sussex local authority  Brighton and Hove local authority 
			 2006/07 6,065 4,893 2,242 
			 2007/08 6,289 5,069 2,248 
			 2008/09 5,648 5,044 2,243 
			 2009/10 7,253 5,911 2,658 
			 2010/11(1) 6,943 5,701 2,686 
			 (1) As at 31 December.

General Practitioners

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps the Department plans to take to ensure that pathfinder GP consortia are able to share best practice over the next two years.

Simon Burns: I have been asked to reply.
	The Health and Social Care Bill 2011 will provide for general practitioner (GP) consortia to be established from April 2012, prior to taking on full statutory responsibilities from April 2013. The Department has established a rolling programme of GP consortia pathfinders to test the different elements involved in GP-led commissioning and enable emerging GP consortia to get more rapidly involved in current commissioning decisions. A Pathfinder learning network has been established to support the development of emerging consortia and to facilitate shared learning during the transition. The shadow NHS Commissioning Board will produce and publish an analysis of the findings of the pathfinder programme and set out the lessons learned that will be applied as consortia become formally established during 2012-13.

Music: Education

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what response he plans to make to the report of the Henley Review of Music Education.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 27 January 2011
	 We expect the Henley Review of Music Education to be published shortly. The Government will respond as fully as possible to the recommendations at that time.

New Schools Network

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he made of the ability of other organisations to perform the role allocated to the New Schools Network.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 24 January 2010
	I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 24 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 379-80W to the hon. Member for Wigan (Lisa Nandy).

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils in  (a) North West Durham constituency,  (b) the North East and  (c) England he expects to receive the pupil premium in each of the next five years.

Nick Gibb: The deprivation pupil premium for 2011-12 will be allocated to local authorities and schools with pupils that are known to be eligible for free school meals (FSM) as recorded on the January 2011 School Census, Pupil Referral Unit Census and Alternative Provision Census. Each pupil known to be eligible for free school meals will attract £430 of funding which will go to the school or academy, via the local authority or YPLA if the pupil is in a mainstream setting, or will be managed by the responsible local authority if the pupil is in a non-mainstream setting. The level of the pupil premium will be the same for every deprived pupil, no matter where they live.
	The same level of premium is available for looked after children who, at some point in the year to 31 March 2010, were looked after continuously for at least six months, and who were aged four to 15 on 31 August 2009 as recorded on the April 2010 local authority return.
	The service child premium for 2011-12 will be allocated to local authorities and schools with pupils who are registered as service child on the January 2011 School Census.
	Each pupil known to be eligible will attract £200 of funding which will go to the school or academy via the local authority or YPLA.
	The amounts allocated in 2011-12 will depend on the numbers of FSM pupils recorded on the January 2011 Censuses, so it is not possible to give figures for 2011 and subsequent years. We aim to extend the coverage of the pupil premium from 2012-13 onwards to pupils who have previously been known to be eligible for free school meals. We intend to consult on this, including the question of which deprivation indicator to use, in the summer.
	It is possible to provide estimated figures for 2011-12 based on the number of FSM pupils in 2010, and these are given below. However, these are estimates only and are not necessarily indicative of how the pupil premium will be distributed as the number of eligible pupils in 2011 could be higher or lower. Numbers of pupils are rounded to the nearest five. Please note suppressed figures have not been included in any of the totals.
	 North West Durham  c onstituency
	In North West Durham in January 2010 there were 1,865 pupils known to be eligible, which would give rise to a pupil premium of £801,950. These figures do not include looked after children or service children. Data limitations prevent alternative provision being presented at constituency level, so these figures also do not include an estimate for the number of eligible children in such provision.
	 The North East Region
	In the North East in January 2010 there were 76,100 pupils known to be eligible, which would give rise to a pupil premium of £32,723,000. The above estimates include pupils in maintained schools, alternative provision, pupil referral units and looked after children. In addition there were 810 pupils known to be eligible for the service child premium, which would give rise to a premium of £162,000.
	 England
	In England in January 2010 there were 1,223,465 pupils known to be eligible, which would give rise to a pupil premium of £526,089,950. However, we expect the number of eligible pupils to rise appreciably in 2011 as schools and local authorities encourage parents who have failed to register in the past to register for free school meals, and therefore estimate that total expenditure for 2011-12 will be £625 million. The above estimates include pupils in maintained schools, alternative provision, pupil referral units and looked after children. In addition to this there were 37,915 pupils known to be eligible for the service child premium, which would give rise to a premium of £7,583,000.

Pupils: Disadvantaged

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many  (a) primary,  (b) secondary and  (c) special school pupils are eligible for free school meals in each ward in Sevenoaks constituency.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 25 January 2011
	The number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals is shown in the following table. This includes full-time pupils aged 0 to 15 and part-time pupils aged five to 15.
	
		
			  Maintained primary( 1) , state-funded secondary( 1, 2)  and special( 3)  schools: School meal arrangements( 5) -As at January 2010 by each ward within Sevenoaks parliamentary constituency 
			   Primary( 1)  State-funded secondary( 1, 2)  Special( 3) 
			   Number on roll( 4, 5)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals( 4, 5)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  Number on roll( 4, 5)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals( 4, 5)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals  Number on roll( 4, 5)  Number of pupils known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals( 4, 5)  Percentage known to be eligible for and claiming free school meals 
			 Ash 312 58 186 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Brasted, Chevening and Sundridge 733 32 4.4 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Crockenhill and Well Hill 202 16 7.9 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Dunton Green and Riverhead 454 24 5.3 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Eynsfcrd 318 8 2.5 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Farningham, Horton Kirby and South Darenth 256 14 5.5 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Fawkham and West Kingsdown 265 21 7.9 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Halstead, Knockholt and Badgers Mount 225 19 8.4 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Hextable 408 19 4.7 654 71 10.9 82 (6)- (6)- 
			 Kemsing 205 9 4.4 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Otford and Snoreham 345 18 5.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Seal and Weald 347 42 12.1 380 54 14.2 25 (7)- (7)- 
			 Sevenoaks Eastern 77 25 32.5 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sevenoaks Northern n/a n/a n/a 746 70 9.4 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sevenoaks Town and St John's 829 47 5.7 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Sevenoaks Kippington n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Swanley Christchurch and Swanley Village 447 67 15.0 n/a n/a n/a 43 (6)- (6)- 
			 Swanley St Mary's 194 90 46.4 502 118 23.5 n/a n/a n/a 
			 Swanley White Oak 482 131 27.2 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Westerham and Crockham Hill 401 22 5.5 n/a n/a n/a 46 3 6.5 
			 Sevenoaks (all wards) 6,500 662 10.2 2,282 313 13.7 196 129 65.8 
			 n/a = Not applicable. No schools of this type. (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes city technology colleges and academies. (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools, excludes general hospital schools. (4) Includes sole and dual (main) registrations. (5) Pupils who have full-time attendance and are aged 0 to 15, or pupils who have part-time attendance and aged five to 15. (6) A percentage greater than 95.0, or the numerator for this percentage. (7) One or Two pupils, or a percentage based on one or two pupils.  Source: School Census

Schools: Biometrics

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in (i) England, (ii) Yorkshire and (iii) Leeds North West constituency employ biometric identity technology.

Nick Gibb: We do not collect data on the number of schools, whether primary or secondary, that use biometric identity technology but we estimate that approximately 30% of secondary schools and 5% of primary schools use such systems. Legislation will be introduced in the Freedom Bill to ensure that no children's biometric data is taken, in schools or colleges, without parental permission. The Freedom Bill will also give children the right to refuse to use biometric systems and ensure that alternatives are provided for children who opt out or whose parents opt out of using biometric technology.

Students: Finance

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what arrangements he proposes to put in place to monitor the effect of ending education maintenance allowance and starting enhanced discretionary learner support funding.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 January 2010
	We will work with representatives of schools, colleges, training providers and interested bodies to develop the monitoring arrangements for the enhanced fund and further information will be available in due course.

Teachers: Conditions of Employment

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on taking into account a decision to enter into an agreement with teaching unions on the pay and conditions of staff when determining whether a school is granted academy status; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 21 January 2011
	The Secretary of State for Education will take a range of factors into account in deciding whether to enter into a funding agreement with an Academy. A school's intention to take advantage of key academy freedoms, which include the ability to set the pay and conditions of staff, is a relevant factor in the decision.

Teachers: Redundancy

Bill Esterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what assessment he has made of the effects on levels of experience in the workforce of planned redundancies in teaching staff in schools.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 18 January 2011
	No such assessment has been made centrally. It is for schools and employers to make their own decisions.
	The Department would expect schools to have regard to the capacity and capability, as well as skills and experience of the workforce in making such decisions. The funding settlement for 2010-11 protects funding per pupil for schools in cash terms, and provides additional funding for the Pupil Premium on top of that. We would expect schools to look to make efficiency gains in areas such as procurement and back office before they consider reducing their teaching staff.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Daniel Poulter: To ask the Secretary of State for Education when he plans to reply to question 29342, on the IGCSE, tabled on 3 December 2010 for ordinary written answer.

Nick Gibb: A response was issued to my hon. Friend on 27 January,  Official Report, column 412W.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Departmental Regulation

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what regulations his Department has removed since 6 May 2010.

Gregory Barker: Since 6 May 2010, the Department has removed the Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading scheme Regulations 2009 (SI 2009/2301), which were replaced by the Aviation Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1996).
	In June 2010, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, my noble Friend Lord Marland, responsible for the Department's regulatory agenda, wrote to 250 of the Department's key stakeholders asking for their views on ways to reduce DECC's regulatory burden. Following on from this exercise, DECC plan to repeal 28 regulations. The exact process for repealing these is still being explored (a suitable vehicle for repeal is being considered, and consultation with relevant parties such as the devolved Administrations needs to take place for certain policies). The response letter from my noble Friend and a summary of responses to this exercise was published in November 2010 on the DECC internet site:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/about/better_reg/better_reg.aspx
	In addition, in July 2010 DECC introduced two deregulatory statutory instruments which prescribe a power to allow local authorities to sell electricity generated from renewable as well as combined heat and power sources:
	The Sale of Electricity by Local Authorities (Scotland) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1908)
	The Sale of Electricity by Local Authorities (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 (SI 2010/1910)
	Finally, the Energy Bill, introduced into the House of Lords in December 2010, sets out proposals to repeal the Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 (HECA) in England, Scotland and Wales. This will reduce regulatory burdens, support the Government's localism agenda and remove redundant legislation from the statute book.

Energy Supply

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what secondments  (a) EDF Energy,  (b) British Gas,  (c) ScottishPower,  (d) E.ON Energy and  (e) Scottish and Southern Energy have made to his Department since 2008; for what (i) periods and (ii) jobs such secondments were made; what secondments of staff from his Department have been made to each such firm; and for what (A) periods and (B) jobs such secondments were made since 2008.

Gregory Barker: The following tables show details of people who are or have been on secondment from or to the relevant bodies since October 2008 when Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was created. There have been no secondments into DECC from either Scottish Power or Scottish and Southern Energy. There no have been no secondments out of DECC to EDF Energy, Scottish Power or Scottish and Southern Energy.
	
		
			  Secondments into DECC from 2008 
			  DECC grade  From which organisation  Secondment period (months) 
			 Grade 7 Centrica-British Gas 7 
			 Grade 7 EDF Energy 13 
			 Grade 7 EDF Energy 6 
			 Grade 7 EDF Energy 7 
			 Grade 7 EDF Energy 7 
		
	
	
		
			  Secondments out of DECC from 2008 
			  DECC grade  To which organisation  Secondment period (months) 
			 Grade 7 E.ON Energy 15 
			 Senior civil servant British Gas 12

Fuel Oil

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what recent representations he has received on domestic heating oil from  (a) members of the public,  (b) Members of Parliament and (c) consumer organisations.

Charles Hendry: As I noted in the Fuel Poverty debate on 19 January,  Official Report, columns 255-279WH, there have been a significant number of representations on the domestic oil market from the public and hon. Members of Parliament. I fully recognise the difficulties people have experienced with rising prices and supply problems, as set out in my written ministerial statement on 21 January,  Official Report, columns 55-56WS. I welcome the independent assessment of the off-grid market by the Office of Fair Trading, and I look forward to seeing its conclusions in advance of next winter so the lessons from this winter can be learned and any necessary changes made.

Industrial Health and Safety

Alok Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress his Department has made in reviewing the health and safety regulations for which it is responsible since his appointment.

Charles Hendry: DECC is responsible for nuclear policy matters including the specific legislation relating to the regulation of safety in the nuclear industry-Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (NIA 65). The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) has responsibility for establishing the overall Health and Safety statutory framework to regulate industrial and workplace safety.
	There are currently no plans to review the Nuclear Installations Act as a whole though some specific amendments are currently being developed to give effect to European legislation and international conventions.

Liquefied Petroleum Gas

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of households who have used  (a) liquefied petroleum gas and  (b) oil for domestic purposes in each of the last five years.

Charles Hendry: The following table shows the number of households in England that use liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and the number that use heating oil as their main fuel for space heating for each of the years 2006 to 2008, which is the latest year for which this information is available.
	
		
			  Thousand 
			   Number of households in England using LPG  Number of households in England using heating oil 
			 2006 79 894 
			 2007 78 926 
			 2008 97 828 
		
	
	In Wales in 2008, the latest year for which this information is available, around 22,000 households used LPG and around 143,000 households used oil. Similar data are not available for 2006 and 2007.

Natural Gas: Drilling

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will ask the Committee on Climate Change to examine the potential effects of the extraction of shale gas and coal bed methane in the UK  (a) on achieving the UK's energy policy objectives and  (b) on the development of renewable energy.

Charles Hendry: In the UK shale gas has not yet been commercially proven and coalbed methane has not yet been commercially proven on a large scale. Analysis of the potential effects of extraction on UK energy policy objectives and development of renewable energy would in the circumstances be subject to large uncertainties. There are no plans to ask the Committee on Climate Change to carry out such an examination.

Natural Gas: Reserves

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the likely proved global reserves of natural gas in each of the next 20 years.

Charles Hendry: DECC does not produce a statistic for the likely proved global reserves of gas.
	However, the International Energy Agency estimates global proven reserves and recoverable resources in their World Energy Outlook Report. These place proven reserves at 184 tcm at the end of 2008.

Urenco: Mutual Societies

Charlie Elphicke: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2011,  Official Report, column 216W, on Urenco: mutual societies, what criteria the Government has applied in its assessment of the options in respect of the one third stake in Urenco.

Charles Hendry: The Government's assessment of the future options for the UK shareholding in Urenco will take account of the need to maintain protections in the areas of nuclear non-proliferation, safety and security, as well as the need to deliver value for money for the tax payer.

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in the London borough of Bexley who are alcohol-dependent.

Anne Milton: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the information is available from the National Patient Treatment Agency.

Arthritis

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to work with charities and the third sector to deliver improved health outcomes for patients with rheumatoid arthritis; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The recently published "NHS Outcomes Framework 2011-12" sets out the national outcome goals that will be used to hold the proposed NHS Commissioning Board to account for delivering improved outcomes, including those for rheumatoid arthritis. Although, there is not a specific outcome indicator for rheumatoid arthritis in the NHS Outcomes Framework, we would expect progress to be captured under Domain 2: "Enhancing the quality of life for people with long-term conditions". This domain of the framework deliberately takes a generic approach to long-term conditions so as to ensure that no patients are excluded.
	However, the Secretary of State for Health will not be setting out how these outcomes should be delivered, it will be for the NHS Commissioning Board to determine how best to deliver improvements by working with general practitioner (GP) commissioning consortia, drawing on the advice and expertise of charitable and third-sector organisations.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will have various tools and levers at its disposal to help deliver improved outcomes, which include the library of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standards; the Commissioning Outcomes Framework, which the NHS Commissioning Board will use to hold GP commissioning consortia to account; and other payment mechanisms between the NHS Commissioning Board, commissioners and providers. We expect the NHS Commissioning Board will want to draw on the expertise of charities and third sector organisations when designing these mechanisms.
	The tools and levers available to the NHS Commissioning Board are described more fully in both "The NHS Outcomes Framework 2011-12", and "Liberating the NHS: legislative framework and next steps", which can be accessed via the following links:
	www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_123138.pdf
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_122661
	Copies have already been placed in the Library.

Breast Cancer: Drugs

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he has taken to ensure an adequate supply of Femara (letrozole) to local community pharmacists;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the devolved Administrations on the supply of Femara (letrozole);
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effects on the adequacy of supply of pharmaceutical drugs to the NHS of the purchase of such drugs by private companies for sale abroad.

Simon Burns: We have been in contact with Novartis, the suppliers of Femara (letrozole) tablets. They have confirmed that there are supplies of this medicine available for United Kingdom patients. If pharmacists have problems obtaining it from their wholesaler, they can contact Novartis Customer Services to arrange a direct supply to the pharmacy. We have had discussions about Femara tablets with the devolved administrations, and have made them aware of the supply situation.
	The Department, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders are working collaboratively to better understand and mitigate the impact of supply difficulties so that patients receive the medicines they need in a timely manner, and any arrangements take account of the time needed by pharmacists to source the medicines.

Business Interests

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether former officials of his Department have asked for permission to join  (a) Care UK,  (b) BUPA,  (c) Roche,  (d) Ellipse,  (e) Grunenthal,  (f) IMS Health,  (g) Janssen-Cilag,  (h) Lundbeck and  (i) PharmaMar in the last two years.

Simon Burns: The Department has no record of former officials requesting permission to join Care UK, Priory Group, BUPA, Roche, Ellipse, Grunenthal, IMS Health, Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck or PharmaMar.
	All civil servants must obtain Government approval before taking any form of full-time, part-time or fee-paid employment in the United Kingdom, or overseas, with a public or private company or in the service of a foreign Government or its agencies. This rule also applies to any former civil servant within two years of their leaving Crown employment.
	Since January 2009, 36 departmental employees or former employees submitted applications seeking approval to take up outside business appointments. Of these, 13 applications were approved unconditionally and 24 had restrictions imposed. Restrictions imposed are usually in the form of a period of delay between leaving the civil service and taking up the external post.

Departmental Libraries

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) certified and  (b) chartered librarians his Department has employed in each year since 2000.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected. Such information as is available is in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of qualified librarians employed in the Department 2000 - 10 
			   Number 
			 2000 32 
			 2001 34 
			 2002 31 
			 2003 36 
			 2004 33 
			 2005 31 
			 2006 30 
			 2007 30 
			 2008 25 
			 2009 24 
			 2010 26 
			  Notes: 1. The figures refer to the number of qualified librarians employed in corporate information services on library, web services, information assurance, records and knowledge management. Qualified librarian refers to holders of a Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP) accredited qualification many of whom, but not all, were chartered. It is not possible to differentiate between the two categories of qualified or chartered, as chartered status is not an entry requirement for professional posts in government. 2. The Department did not employ any CILIP "Certified", paraprofessional Library staff during the specified period.  Source: Staff-in-post returns for January of each year.

Departmental Marketing

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: In the last financial year for which figures are available, the communications directorate has not purchased or distributed any Department branded drinks coasters.
	The Department does not hold central records on items such as drinks coasters and attempting to gather such information would incur disproportionate costs.

Departmental Secondment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees, including permanent and temporary contracted staff, are seconded from his Department and its agencies to  (a) Care UK,  (b) Priory Group,  (c) BUPA,  (d) Roche,  (e) Ellipse,  (f) Grunenthal,  (g) IMS Health,  (h) Janssen-Cilag,  (i) Lundbeck and  (j) PharmaMar.

Simon Burns: No employee of the Department or its agency-the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency-is currently seconded to Care UK, Priory Group, BUPA, Roche, Ellipse, Grunenthal, IMS Health, Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck or PharmaMar.

Departmental Secondment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many employees, including permanent and temporary contracted staff, are seconded to his Department and its agencies from  (a) Care UK,  (b) Priory Group,  (c) BUPA,  (d) Roche,  (e) Ellipse,  (f) Grunenthal,  (g) IMS Health,  (h) Janssen-Cilag,  (i) Lundbeck and  (j) PharmaMar.

Simon Burns: Neither the Department nor its agency-the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency-have any individuals seconded to them who are employees of Care UK, Priory Group, BUPA, Roche, Ellipse, Grunenthal, IMS Health, Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck or PharmaMar.

Departmental Secondment

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what secondments  (a) Care UK,  (b) BUPA,  (c) Roche,  (d) Ellipse,  (e) Grunenthal,  (f) IMS Health,  (g) Janssen-Cilag,  (h) Lundbeck and  (i) PharmaMar have made to his Department since 2008; for what (i) periods and (ii) jobs such secondments were made; what secondments of staff from his Department have been made to each such firm; and for what (A) periods and (B) jobs such secondments have been made since 2008.

Simon Burns: Since 2008, there have been no secondments to-or from-the Department and Care UK, BUPA, Roche, Ellipse, Grunenthal, IMS Health, Janssen-Cilag, Lundbeck or PharmaMar.

Deviance and Behaviour Disorders: Day Centres

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of day care centres for people with personality disorders.

Paul Burstow: The number of personality disorder (PD) services is collected centrally, but this is not disaggregated into type of service. The following table shows dedicated PD services, which includes day hospital places, in England over the past three years:
	
		
			   Personality disorder services 
			 2009 46 
			 2008 39.04 
			 2007(1) 53 
			 (1) In 2007 there may have been some double counting.  Source: Adult Mental Health Service Mapping Atlas 2009.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the National Treatment Agency will publish figures on the number of clients treated through  (a) residential rehabilitation and  (b) community-based rehabilitation who subsequently required drug treatment services.

Anne Milton: Data input to the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS) by treatment providers recorded that 61,384 individuals left treatment in 2008-09. Of this total:
	1,506 received residential rehabilitation as part of their treatment journey of whom 510 (34%) re-presented to treatment services in 2009-10; and
	59,878 did not receive residential rehabilitation as part of their treatment journey of whom 16,488 (28%) re-presented to treatment services in 2009-10.
	Almost all general practitioners providing prescribing and shared care services and almost all community treatment providers submit NDTMS returns. However, only around two thirds of residential rehabilitation providers submit NDTMS returns which limits the scope for monitoring outcomes for users of their services.

General Practitioners

Matthew Offord: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the representations received on his Department's White Paper on GP commissioning consortia.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" was published in July 2010, and set out our long-term vision for the national health service. Shortly after, we set out further details of our proposals to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner practices in "Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for Patients", with the consultation on these proposals running from July to October.
	In December, we published our response to the consultation in "Liberating the NHS: Legislative framework and next steps" setting out our plans in further detail. This document set out a full analysis of the responses to the consultation and how our proposals were modified in light of the consultation.
	All of these documents are available in the Library.

General Practitioners: Ashton-in-Makerfield

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications for GP consortia have been received from Makerfield constituency.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill 2011 will provide for general practitioner (GP) consortia to be established from April 2012, prior to taking on full statutory responsibilities from April 2013. A rolling programme of GP pathfinder consortia has been established to test the different elements involved in GP-led commissioning and enable emerging GP consortia to get more rapidly involved in current commissioning decisions.
	Groups of GP practices keen to participate in the pathfinder programme put themselves forward to their strategic health authority. There are currently no pathfinder consortia in Makerfield.

General Practitioners: Blackpool

Paul Maynard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GPs there are in Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency.

Simon Burns: General practitioner (GP) workforce census figures are not collected at constituency level. The following table shows the numbers of agreed general and personal medical services contracts within the Blackpool primary care trust (PCT) and the North Lancashire Teaching PCT, both of which serve the Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency.
	
		
			   Contract count 
			 Blackpool PCT 98 
			 North Lancashire Teaching PCT 209 
			  Notes: 1. Data as at 30 September 2009. 2. Data are for GPs (excluding retainers and registrars). 3. GP workforce census figures are not collected at constituency level. Blackpool North and Cleveleys constituency is contained within and serviced by Blackpool PCT and North Lancashire Teaching PCT. 4. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data but responsibility for data accuracy lies with the organisations providing the data. Methods are continually being updated to improve data quality where changes impact on figures already published. This is assessed but unless it is significant at national level figures are not changed. Impact at detailed or local level is footnoted in relevant analyses.  Source: The NHS Information Centre for health and social care, general and personal medical services statistics

Haemophilia

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which clotting factor products were in use  (a) on and  (b) off licence in the UK in 1994; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Information held by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) confirms that the following clotting factor products had a valid authorisation in 1994 and were therefore available for use in the United Kingdom at that time, under the terms of their licence. Neither the MHRA nor the Department has any information regarding the extent of on-licence or off-licence use of these products. Additionally, the MHRA does not hold commercial information and therefore is unable to confirm which of these products were actually placed on the market by the marketing authorisation holders at this time.
	
		
			  Authorisation holder company name  Licensed product name  Drug substance 
			 Bayer plc Kogenate 250 lyophilised powder for reconstitution Factor VIII (RDNA) (BHK) 
			 Bayer plc Kogenate 500 lyophilised powder for reconstitution Factor VIII (RDNA) (BHK) 
			 Bayer plc Kogenate 1000 lyophilised powder for reconstitution Factor VIII (RDNA) (BHK) 
			 Hoechst UK Ltd. Haemate-P 25IU/ML (250 and 500 unit size) and 33IU/ML (1000 unit)  
			 Baxter Healthcare Ltd. Recombinate antihaemophilic factor (recombinant) nominal 250I Factor VIII (RDNA)(RCH) cell line 10A1C6 
			 Baxter Healthcare Ltd. Recombinate RAHF nominal 500IU/bottle Factor VIII (RDNA)(RCH) cell line 10A1C6 
			 Baxter Healthcare Ltd. Recombinate RAHF nominal 1000IU/bottle Factor VIII (RDNA)(RCH) cell line 10A1C6 
			 Baxter Healthcare Ltd. Hemofil M-AHF (human) monoclonal purified nominal 250IU/VI Factor VIII 
			 Baxter Healthcare Ltd. Hemofil M-AHF (human) monoclonal purified nominal 500IU/VL Factor VIII 
			 Baxter Healthcare Ltd. Hemofil M-AHF (human) monoclonal purified nominal 1000IU/VIAL Factor VIII 
			 CSL Behring UK Ltd. Monoclate-P 250, IU per vial nominal potency Factor VIII (RDNA) 
			 CSL Behring UK Ltd. Monoclate-P 500, IU per vial nominal potency Factor VIII (RDNA) 
			 CSL Behring UK Ltd. Monoclate-P 1000, IU units per vial nominal potency Factor VIII (RDNA) 
			 CSL Behring UK Ltd. Mononine (freeze dried human coagulation factor IX) 250IU Factor IX human (MAB purified) 
			 CSL Behring UK Ltd. Mononine (freeze dried human coagulation factor IX) 500IU Factor IX human (MAB purified) 
			 CSL Behring UK Ltd. Mononine (freeze-dried human coagulation factor IX) 1000IU Factor IX human (MAB purified) 
			 Ipsen Biopharm Ltd. Hyate: C lyophilisate for injection Factor VIII 
			 NHS National Services Scotland Human factor IX concentrate (de fix) (powder for reconstitution) Factor IX fraction 
			 Grifols UK Ltd. Alpha VIII 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500 IV injection Factor VIII 
			 Grifols UK Ltd. Alphanine injection 500IU (nominal) Factor IX-plasma thromboplastin component 
			 Grifols UK Ltd. Alphanine injection 1000IU (nominal) Factor IX-plasma thromboplastin component 
			 Grifols UK Ltd. Alphanine injection 1500IU (nominal) Factor IX-plasma thromboplastin component 
			 Bio Products Laboratory Dried factor VIII fraction, type 8Y Dried factor VIII 
			 Bio Products Laboratory Replenine Human factor II; human factor IX and human factor X 
			 Bio Products Laboratory Replenate Freeze-dried human coagulation factor VIII

Health and Social Care Bill

Andrew Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation he plans to undertake on the provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Bill takes forward the proposals contained in the White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS". The Government undertook an extensive process of consultation and engagement around these proposals from July-October 2010. A variety of discussion and engagement events were held throughout this period and some 6,000 responses were received, which formed the basis for the Government's response, "Liberating the NHS: Legislative Framework and Next Steps", published on 15 December 2010. As the Bill progresses through Parliament, there will be an opportunity for hon. Members to debate the reforms and propose amendments.

Health Services: Ex-servicemen

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve information to the public on NHS services for ex-service personnel.

Simon Burns: The Department is working closely with service charities such as the Royal British Legion, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, Combat Stress and others to improve information to veterans and the wider public on national health service services for ex-service personnel. A leaflet, "Meeting the Healthcare Needs of Veterans in England" was produced by the Department in partnership with the Royal British Legion and was distributed widely through general practitioner surgeries and through the Royal British Legion. In addition, the NHS Choices Website contains several pages dedicated to veterans health issues, including mental health.
	The hon. Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) was asked by the Prime Minister to review mental health services for serving personnel and veterans. His report, published in October 2010, made a number of recommendations that will be delivered over the coming year. The Department will ensure that as new services are introduced to meet the mental health needs of veterans that these are publicised through media outlets.

Health Services: Ex-servicemen

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what rates of travel and subsistence expenses can be claimed from the NHS by war pensioners; when the current rates were implemented; and whether he has plans to review the rates in the light of increases in the cost of travel and subsistence.

Simon Burns: Patient transport services (PTS) are maintained by national health service commissioners (primary care trusts) and generally booked by relevant secondary or community services medical professionals. Eligibility for non-urgent transport is based upon clinical need and available to all NHS patients.
	The Hospital Travel Cost Scheme (HTCS) is designed to help with travel costs and arrangements for all NHS patients on low incomes. HTCS is for those who do not medically require PTS but require help in meeting the cost of travel to and from NHS medical care. The HTCS is means tested for low income earners with those on a range of low income benefits automatically entitled. This scheme is constituted under the National Health Service (Travelling Expenses and Remission of Charges) Regulations 1988 as amended.
	The HTCS will reimburse all or some of the travel costs depending on eligibility. If the patient is entitled to qualifying benefits or allowances they will get back the full travel costs by using the cheapest form of public transport available, including any concessions or promotions. If the patient uses a private car, a claim for petrol and car parking charges where unavoidable, can be made at the mileage rate specified under the local HTCS.
	The HTCS does not apply in cases where war pensioners incur travelling expenses when obtaining treatment of conditions caused by service. Such expenses may be met by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency who apply their eligibility criteria to individual cases.

Mental Health Services: Ex-servicemen

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether he expects the 30 mental health nurses for veterans announced in the Fighting Fit report to be in post by March 2011;
	(2)  whether he expects the 24-hour support line for ex-service personnel to be operational by the end of January 2011.

Simon Burns: The Department of Health is working with the national health service, Ministry of Defence (MOD) and service charities to deliver in England the recommendations put forward by the hon. Member for South West Wiltshire (Dr Murrison) in his report to the Prime Minister, 'Fighting Fit' that was published in October 2010. The specification for delivery of 30 additional mental health nurses is currently being developed through the armed forces networks. These are led by strategic health authorities and bring together primary care trusts with local representatives of the armed forces community, service charities and others. Commissioning for the service will commence in April 2011. There will be flexibility within the specification to ensure that additional resources are placed where they will have the most impact for veterans with mental health problems. This specification will ensure that those employed will have the right competencies to deliver this service. Wider training on veterans' issues will also be provided.
	The Department of Health is working with the charity Combat Stress to provide a 24 hour helpline service for veterans seeking help. A tender process for this has recently been completed and work is in hand to put this in place by the end of February.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to take steps to reduce stigma associated with veterans experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.

Simon Burns: The Government are committed to reducing the stigma associated with all forms of mental ill health. For veterans in particular, we have begun a pilot of mentoring for service leavers; are planning an on-line counselling service and are asking each part of the national health service to make access to treatment for veterans a priority. We are taking all the steps we can to reduce the reluctance to seek help that is so characteristic of young men.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

Nicola Blackwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of including transplants on the list of medical conditions that grant exemption from prescription charges;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of amending the list of medical conditions that grant exemption from prescription charges in line with the recommendations of Professor Sir Ian Gilmore's review.

Simon Burns: No estimate has been made of the cost to the public purse of providing an exemption from prescription charges to patients who have undergone a transplant.
	Professor Sir Ian Gilmore's report, "Prescription charges review: implementing exemption from prescription charges for people with long term conditions", recommended an approach to exemption that was based on a broad definition of a long-term condition rather than amending the existing list of medical conditions. The review estimated that once fully implemented, exempting people with long term conditions from prescription charges could cost £430 million per annum. The report was published on 27 May 2010 and a copy has already been placed in the Library.

Primary Health Care

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  whether his Department is taking steps to maintain the management of the support functions for family health services will continue to be managed on a local basis after the abolition of primary care trusts;
	(2)  what plans he has for the future management of family health services; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Subject to the passage of the Health and Social Care Bill presented to Parliament on 19 January 2011, the Bill will make the NHS Commissioning Board responsible for commissioning family health services including primary care, pharmacy, dental and ophthalmic services.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will decide how to carry out its responsibilities.

Prostate Gland: Medical Treatments

Ronnie Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what consultations he undertook with medical practitioners in the field before issuing his proposed changes to the Best Practice Tariff for laser treatment of the enlarged prostate;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the proposed Best Practice Tariff for laser treatment of the enlarged prostate with his Department's obligations for choice in day care and treatment options for the most vulnerable patients.

Simon Burns: The 2011-12 Best Practice Tariff for laser treatment of the enlarged prostate has been developed with the support of clinicians, including the President of the British Association of Urological Surgeons.
	The draft 2011-12 tariffs were shared for 'sense check' in October 2010, and changes were subsequently made to the levels of the proposed tariff for resection of prostate by laser to reflect concerns that a day case rate target of 90% was overly ambitious for delivery in one year. A revised target of 30% was therefore agreed, and the draft 2011-12 tariff prices were increased accordingly.
	The 2011-12 tariff prices were published for 'road test' on 22 December, since when it has been brought to the Department's attention that the published Best Practice Tariff price for resection of prostate by laser contained a typographical error. The October 2010 'sense check' prices for this procedure had been inadvertently included, rather than the revised prices that were agreed for 'road test'.
	The agreed prices for resection of prostate by laser will appear in the final tariff package for 2011-12 when it is published in February.

Sickle Cell Diseases: Greater London

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training the London Ambulance Service gives to ambulance staff on the  (a) symptoms and  (b) emergency treatment of sickle cell anaemia; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: National guidance on the symptoms and emergency treatment of people with sickle cell was published in the "UK Ambulance Service Clinical Practice Guidelines (2006)". All frontline London Ambulance Service staff receive training in the assessment and management of patients with sickle cell conditions, in line with these guidelines. Further national guidance was issued to staff in 2009. Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Library.

Sickle Cell Diseases: Greater London

Diane Abbott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the London strategic health authority is taking to improve the emergency care of patients with sickle cell disease; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The planning, delivery and improvement of services for people with sickle cell, including emergency care, are the responsibility of local commissioners and providers. It is not the responsibility of the strategic health authority.

Speech Therapy: Departmental Coordination

Robin Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions officials in his Department have had with officials in the Department for Education on the role of speech and language therapy services in developing communication skills and literacy.

Anne Milton: The Department of Health and the Department for Education are jointly engaged in discussions with the Communications Trust, the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and others on how best to achieve the right services for children with speech, language and communications needs, in the context of the Government's wider programme.
	Officials from both Departments are working closely together on a range of issues affecting children and families, for example on health visiting and early years services where improvements will support early identification of speech and language needs, as will be outlined in the forthcoming special education needs and disability Green Paper.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many improvised explosive device attacks there were on UK forces in Afghanistan in each month between June 2006 and December 2007.

Nick Harvey: Records of incidents for the whole of Afghanistan are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Data is more readily available for attacks within the Task Force Helmand area of operations in Helmand province, which includes the majority of UK forces deployed to Afghanistan. The figures refer to an explosion that has subsequently been reported by units operating within the taskforce Helmand area of responsibility. This includes both 'laid' improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicide (both vehicle and person-borne) devices. These figures do not include IED finds with no detonation or IED false alarms.
	
		
			  Month  IED attacks 
			 June 2006 4 
			 July 2006 5 
			 August 2006 7 
			 September 2006 9 
			 October 2006 6 
			 November 2006 0 
			 December 2006 3 
			 January 2007 2 
			 February 2007 8 
			 March 2007 8 
			 April 2007 13 
			 May 2007 23 
			 June 2007 23 
			 July 2007 32 
			 August 2007 18 
			 September 2007 32 
			 October 2007 24 
			 November 2007 15 
			 December 2007 21 
		
	
	This data is based on information derived from a number of sources and can only be an estimate, not least because of the difficulties in ensuring a consistent interpretation of the basis for collating statistics in a complex fast-moving multinational operational environment. It is modified over time as more information becomes available.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the capital costs are of  (a) constructing and  (b) extending the runway at Kandahar Airfield for military purposes; what proportion of these costs will be recoverable to the UK on departure; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The reconstruction at Kandahar airfield is being undertaken by NATO and is US-led.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 31 January 2011,  Official Report, columns 578-9, to my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (John Glen).

Africa: Military Aid

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the UK's ability to mount  (a) humanitarian and  (b) peacekeeping interventions following the implementation of the Strategic Defence and Security Review in (i) Sierra Leone, (ii) Ivory Coast and (iii) other African countries where opposed intervention is deemed necessary.

Liam Fox: It would be inappropriate to outline specific plans for individual countries and regions considered in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) and in routine departmental planning. The SDSR established force structures for both the near-term and longer-term that would be capable of conducting overseas operations across the spectrum of operations.

Aircraft Carriers: Training

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what programmes have been  (a) planned and  (b) initiated to train fast-jet pilots and supporting carrier personnel to retain the skills necessary to operate the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers; where such personnel will receive their training; under whose command they will be placed; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: Service personnel will be trained in the skills required to operate the Queen Elizabeth class carrier and the Joint Combat Aircraft as the UK Carrier Strike capability is generated. Royal Navy and Royal Air Force fast-jet pilots and supporting personnel will require new skill-sets which will be developed through co-operative programmes with allied nations who operate aircraft carriers. Once the introduction to service dates have been confirmed, further engagement will take place with partner nations to identify training opportunities for both ship-based and flying-related personnel.

Armed Forces: Allowances

Thomas Docherty: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 20 January 2011,  Official Report, columns 45-47WS, on armed forces allowances, what estimate he has made of the savings which will result from changes to  (a) motor mileage allowance,  (b) commitment bonus and  (c) specialist pay reserve banding in the financial years (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2013-14 and (iv) 2014-15;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the savings which will result from changes to  (a) recruitment and retention allowance (London),  (b) disturbance allowance, (c) daily subsistence,  (d) get you home (early years) and  (e) get you home (seagoers) in the financial year (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2013-14 and (iv) 2014-15;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the savings which will result from changes to  (a) incidental expenses allowance,  (b) local overseas allowance,  (c) food and incidentals allowance and  (d) living out supplemental rates of local overseas allowance in (i) 2011-12, (ii) 2012-13, (iii) 2013-14 and (iv) 2014-15.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 31 January 2011
	Estimates have been made in respect of proposed savings against the allowances budget and these are presented in the following table. These are predicated on such factors as a constant exchange rate, a consistent number of claimants in their current locations, manpower reductions being actioned within planned timescales and other factors such as the Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs' current mileage rates, none of which is guaranteed and therefore such estimates are liable to fluctuate.
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2011-12  2012-13  2013-14  2014-15 
			 Motor Mileage Allowance 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.5 
			 Commitment Bonus 1.3 2.7 5.9 7.9 
			 Specialist Pay Reserve Banding 0.0 3.2 3.2 3.2 
			 Recruitment and Retention Allowance (London) 0.0 2.9 2.9 2.9 
			 Disturbance Allowance 3.4 3.7 3.7 3.7 
			 Daily Subsistence (Overseas) 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Get You Home (Early Years) 1.9 2.1 2.1 2.1 
			 Get You Home (Seagoers) 0.4 0.5 0.5 0.5 
			 Incidental Expenses Allowance 18.5 20.2 20.2 20.2 
			 Local Overseas Allowance 25.8 42.2 42.2 42.2 
			 Food and Incidentals Allowance 9.8 10.7 10.7 10.7 
			 Living Out Supplemental Rates of Local Overseas Allowance 1.7 1.8 1.8 1.8

Armed Forces: Compensation

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the number of people who will be affected by the proposed increase in payments for ex-service personnel with mental health disorders.

Andrew Robathan: The increased payments for service personnel with mental health disorders will be paid through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS).
	As at 30 September 2010, 360 individuals had been awarded compensation for a mental health condition. As a result of the review and in line with all personnel who have previously claimed, those diagnosed with a mental health disorder suffered as a result of their service will receive an uplift to their compensation award.

Armed Forces: Conditions of Employment

Oliver Colvile: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultation, with which organisations, he has had on the preparation of the Military Covenant Annual Report; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: We intend to consult key stakeholders, including the members of the External Reference Group (ERG), in the preparation of the Armed Forces Covenant report. The ERG is chaired by the Cabinet Office and attended by Government officials (Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Advocates across Whitehall), the Devolved Administrations, Professor Hew Strachan (Oxford University), Service charities (COBSEO, RBL, SSAFA Forces Help and the War Widows Association of Great Britain) and the three Service Families Federations.

Armed Forces: Housing

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reported break-ins to service personnel accommodation there have been in each year since 2008.

Andrew Robathan: The following table shows the number of break-ins recorded on the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) crime database, to Service personnel accommodation in each year since 2008.
	
		
			  Calendar year  Number of break-ins (Burglaries) 
			 2008 193 
			 2009 123 
			 2010 142 
		
	
	The term "break-ins" has been interpreted to mean "burglaries". These figures include barrack room accommodation, cabins on ships and in accommodation blocks and married quarters (both occupied and unoccupied), including sheds and garages.

Armed Forces: Injuries

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people living in  (a) Brecon and Radnorshire constituency,  (b) Wales and  (c) the UK have left the armed forces as a result of injury or disability sustained during their military service.

Andrew Robathan: Data on the residential location of discharged service personnel are not held centrally.
	886 Royal Navy personnel, 2,799 Army personnel and 424 RAF personnel were medically discharged with musculoskeletal disorders and injuries between 2005 and 2009. Not all of these would have sustained their conditions as a result of their military service.

Armed Forces: Location

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department maintains a budget for the relocation of members of the armed forces from base to base.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence does not maintain a specific central budget for relocations. However, top level budget (TLB) finance officers at the Headquarters of Fleet Command, Land Forces, Air Command and other TLBs monitor cost trends within their areas.

Armed Forces: Mental Health

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies his Department has commissioned on the mental health of serving and former armed forces personnel in the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence has commissioned a number of high quality research projects which relate to the mental health of current and ex-Service personnel. These include the prevalence of suicide in veterans, delayed-onset post traumatic stress disorder and evaluation of the NHS community veterans' mental health pilots.
	Highly acclaimed large scale research by the King's Centre for Military Health Research (KCMHR) has been undertaken on the experiences of members of HM armed forces who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. A full list of papers that have been produced by KCMHR to date can be found on their website at:
	http://www.kcl.ac.uk/kcmhr
	and then click on the 'publications' tab.
	I shall place a copy of this list in the Library of the House.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many new starters joined  (a) the Armed Forces Pension Scheme,  (b) Disablement Gratuity Scheme and  (c) the Armed Forces Disablement Pension Scheme in each year from 1981 to 2000;
	(2)  how many individuals were in receipt of payments from the  (a) Armed Forces Pension Scheme and  (b) Armed Forces Disablement Scheme in each year from 1981 to 2000.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 1 February 2011
	The Armed Forces Pension Scheme is the occupational pension scheme for the armed forces, including reserve forces. The War Pension Scheme provides no fault compensation to former service personnel and their dependants for injuries and death as a result of service, from the start of world war one until 5 April 2005. The Armed Forces Compensation Scheme has provided compensation since 6 April 2005.
	The information sought on Armed Forces Pension Scheme payments is not held on the current IT system and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	The War Pension Scheme payments information is only available from April 1995 onwards. The following table provides a breakdown of claims by the year in which the claim was cleared:
	
		
			  Claim awarded  Ongoing war pension  gratuity award  Nil award  Total 
			 1995 3,495 2,155 4,230 9,885 
			 1996 9,295 6,550 11,980 27,825 
			 1997 5,290 6,055 8,900 20,250 
			 1998 2,625 3,800 4,095 10,520 
			 1999 2,775 4,485 3,675 10,935 
			 2000 2,545 . 3,960 3,190 9,695 
			 Total 26,030 27,005 36,075 89,110 
			  Notes: 1. A gratuity award is a single payment where war disablement has been accepted as a result of service, but the disablement is assessed at less than 20%. 2. A nil award is where it is accepted that a particular disablement is as a result of service, but no monetary compensation is given because the resulting disablement is less than 20%. 3. All figures have been rounded to the nearest five, including totals. 
		
	
	As at 31 December 2000, there were a total of 235,785 disablement pensioners in receipt of war pensions under the War Pension Scheme. At the same date, there were a total of 64,130 gratuity awards recorded.
	Payment figures for the years 1981-1999 are not available.

Armed Forces: Young People

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many 16 and 17 year olds have died while on service or training in the armed forces since 1997; and what the  (a) cause of death and  (b) country where death took place was in each case.

Andrew Robathan: It is not the practice of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to release full details on the cause of death and the country in which the death took place after the initial incident. The numbers involved are so small that individuals could be easily identifiable and as such this information could well be distressing to the relatives of the deceased, to whom the MOD has a residual duty of care. In the light of this, the information that can be provided is presented in the following table.
	
		
			  Armed forces personnel-deaths of 16 and 17 year olds by cause, duty status, location, 1997-2010 
			All  UK  Rest of World 
			  Cause o f death  All  On duty  Off duty  On duty  Off duty  On duty  Off duty 
			 Total 32 12 20 10 18 2 2 
			 Disease related conditions 3 2 1 2 1 0 0 
			  External causes of injury and poisoning:
			 Accident 24 7 17 7 16 0 1 
			 Death due to violence 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Suicide and open verdict 5 3 2 1 1 2 1

Departmental Marketing

Conor Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to the public purse was of the manufacture and distribution of Department-branded drinks coasters in the last financial year for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Senior Civil Servants

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what senior civil service staff moves there have been in his Department since May 2010; and what the  (a) name and  (b) salary is of each person (i) moving posts within and (ii) leaving his Department.

Andrew Robathan: The total number of moves into and out of senior civil service posts since May 2010 is 66 as summarised in the following table.
	
		
			  Pay band  Retirement/  resignation  Loan/  transfer out  Internal move  Temporary promotion  New joiners/  inward loan 
			 PB1 10 4 25 6 9 
			 PB2 1 0 4 1 2 
			 PB3 0 0 - 0 0 
			 PB4 1 0 2 0 1 
		
	
	In line with central Government policy guidance adopted under the Transparency agenda, Departments are not releasing the names or banded salaries for those in the lowest (Pay Band 1) grade of the SCS, nor those at more senior levels who have not consented to the release of their names. In addition, the exact salary of any individual is personal data and as such cannot be released. The following is a link to the MOD Transparency page:
	http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/AboutDefence/WhatWeDo/Transparency/
	The following table details moves at SCS Pay Band 1 since May 2010, using the job title rather than the name of the individual. For all the moves quoted I can confirm that the salary of individual officers fell within the SCS Pay Band 1 range of £58,200 to £117,750:
	
		
			  Pay Band 1-Details of SCS movements from may 2010 to January 2011 
			  Name of post  Pay band  Former incumbent  Reason for change  New incumbent  Comment 
			 Head Products United Kingdom Hydrographic Office PB1 Not disclosed Left Department Vacant - 
			 Chief Environmental and Safety Officer Defence Equipment and Support PB1 Not disclosed Left Department Not disclosed Transfer from HSE 
			 Commercial Director Defence Support Group PB1 - New post Not disclosed Joined Dept 
			 Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Head Hydrographic Office PB - New post Not disclosed Joined Dept 
			 HD Capability Technology PB1 Not disclosed Retirement Post discontinued  
			 Head of Cost Assurance Analysis PB1 Not disclosed Retirement Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Director General Saudi Arabia Project Head Policy and Resources PB1 Not disclosed Retirement Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head of Deterrent Capability PB1 Not disclosed Loan DECC Now filled by Military - 
			 Deputy Command Secretary Land Forces PB1 Not disclosed Reverted to Band B Not disclosed Internal move 
			 D Commercial Information Services and Systems PB1 Not disclosed Retirement Not disclosed Temp promotion 
			 Armed Force Compensation Scheme Review PB1 Not disclosed Resignation Post discontinued - 
			 Head of General Law Division PB1 Not disclosed Transfer to OGD Not disclosed Transfer in 
			 Director Projects BMT Defence Services PB1 Not disclosed Retirement - Secondment opportunity not filled 
			 Head of International Policy and Planning PB1 Not disclosed Retirement Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head of Veterans Services PB1 Not disclosed Reverted to Band B Not disclosed Inward Loan 
			 Head Strategic Defence and Security Review Nuclear PB1 Not disclosed Transfer to CO Vacant - 
			 Commercial Director NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency PB1 Not disclosed Retirement - NATO post not filled by UK 
			 Head Secretariat Defence Equipment and Support PB1 Not disclosed Reverted to Band B Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Private Secretary, Secretary of State PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head Commercial Assurance and Governance PB1 Not declared Before May Not disclosed Re-instatement 
			 Head Financial Accounting PB1 Not declared Long term sick Not disclosed Return to MOD 
			 Head Finance Submarines PB1  New post Not disclosed Temp promotion 
			 Head Programmes and Technology Group Centre of Excellence PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Temp promotion 
			 Head Employment Framework PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Temp promotion 
			 Head Finance Information Systems Services PB1 - New post Not disclosed Temp promotion 
			 Head Submarine Enterprise Performance Programmes PB1 - New post Not disclosed Temp promotion 
			 Director Science and Technology Chief Scientific Adviser, Strategic Adviser PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed In ward loan 
			 Director Transformation Ships PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Post discontinued  
			 Head Acquisition and Business Learning PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head of Boards Secretariat PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Assistant Chief of Staff J8 Permanent Joint HQ PB1 - New post Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Deputy Command Secretary Permanent Joint HQ PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head Technology Delivery PB1 Not disclosed Loan to Dstl Post discontinued - 
			 Head Special Forces and Operational Legal Policy PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head of Assistance and assurance Defence Equipment and Support PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head Future submarines PB1 Not disclosed Internal move - Post not filled at SCS Level 
			 Head Suppliers Relation Team PB1 Not disclosed Internal move - Post discontinued 
			 Head of Defence Intelligence Strategic Assessments PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head Defence Intelligence Development and Support PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head Plans and Programmes Defence Equipment and Support PB1 Was filled by military - Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head International Acquisition Policy PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Vacant - 
			 Chief Information Officer Corporate Service Systems PB1 - New post Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Head Financial Management Information Systems PB1 Not disclosed Internal move Vacant - 
			 Head Finance, Combat Air PB1 - New post Not disclosed Internal move 
			 Special Adviser 1 PB1 - New post Not disclosed Joined Dept 
			 Special Adviser 2 PB1 - New post Not disclosed Joined Dept 
		
	
	The following table details moves at SCS Pay Band 2 and above, using names where consent was received under the Transparency agenda from individuals and roles where it was not, and salary details as published in departmental transparency data within £5,000 bands. It also provides details of the nature of the move:
	
		
			  Pay Band 2 and above-details of SCS movements from may 2010 to January 2011 
			  Name of post  Pay band  Former incumbent  Reason for change  Salary band (£)  New  incumbent  Method of filling post  Salary band (£) 
			 Director Corporate Service Delivery Strategy PB2 D Ball Internal move 95,000 to 99,999 Post discontinued -  
			 Director Human Resources, Defence Equipment and Support PB2 - Was filled by military - D Ball Internal move 95,000 to 99,999 
			 Minister (Defence Material) British Defence Staff Washington PB2 P Turner Internal move 85,000 to 89,999 W Jessett Promotion 80,000 to 84,999 
			 Director Commercial Services PB2 Not declared Prior to May - M Greatwich Temp promotion 90,000 to 94,999 
			 Director Research and Technology Operations PB2 - New Post - C Mace Internal move 125,000 to 129,999 
			 Director Centre Top Level Budget PB2 D Stephens Internal move 95,000 to 99,999 L Tulett Inward loan 90,000 to 94,999 
			 Director Financial Management PB2 T Jagger Internal move 125,000 to 129,999 D Williams Return to MOD 90,000 to 94,999 
			 Chief of Staff Defence Equipment and Support PB2 J Lycett Reverted to PB1 80,000 to 84,999  Merged with another post  
			 Command Secretary (Resources) Land Forces PB2 N Evans Retirement 100,000 to 104,999 D Stephens Internal move 95,000 to 99,999 
			 Command Secretary (Secretarial) Land Forces PB2 D Johnson Reverted to PB1 80,000 to 84,999 P Turner Internal move 85,000 to 89,999 
			 Chief Defence Material PB3 (FTA) - Was filled by Military - B Gray Joined Dept 220,000 to 224,999 
			 2nd Permanent Under Secretary PB4 U Brennan Internal Promotion 155,000 to 159,999 J Day Internal promotion 155,000 to 159,999 
			 Permanent Under Secretary PB4 B Jeffrey Retirement 174,999 to 180,000 U Brennan Internal promotion 180,000 to 184,999

Departmental Visits Abroad

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what overseas visits he undertook in the last six months; what the  (a) country and place visited,  (b) date,  (c) meetings attended during the visit,  (d) names of other individuals attending such meetings and  (e) purpose of each meeting was in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: The information is being collated. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

Ex-servicemen: Radiation Exposure

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will assess the likely effect of the conclusions of the Redfern Inquiry into examination of tissue from nuclear industry workers on his Department's policy on nuclear test veterans.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 1 February 2011
	The Redfern Inquiry Report makes clear that the Atomic Weapons Establishment and the Ministry of Defence's involvement in these cases is believed to have been very limited, and, in most cases, was primarily to arrange for analysis of tissue samples at the request of individual coroners. It is our view that the findings of the Inquiry are not relevant to broader policy on nuclear test veterans, as the findings relate solely to the analysis of tissue samples from up to 15 individuals compared to some 28,000 that took part in the tests. The Redfern Report does not record any of the analyses as being productive in determining the cause of death. We do not believe that there are any wider conclusions that can be drawn that would be relevant to the nuclear test veterans' situation as a group or to any individual appeals currently before the War Pensions Tribunal.

Falkland Islands: Armed Forces

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what ability the armed forces will retain to re-take the Falkland Islands in the event of their occupation during the next 10 years.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of State for Defence's comments during debates in the House on 2 November 2010,  Official Report, column 787, and 4 November 2010,  Official Report, columns 1071-72. We maintain robust contingency plans for times of crisis which would draw on a range of capabilities that may be appropriate for such an operation. However, I am not prepared to go into detail.

War Pensions

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people living in  (a) Brecon and Radnorshire constituency,  (b) Wales and  (c) the UK are in receipt of (i) a War Pension and (ii) payments from the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.

Andrew Robathan: The War Pension scheme (WPS) provides no fault compensation to former service personnel and their dependants for illness, injury or death as a result of service from the start of the first world war in 1914 up until 5 April 2005.
	As at 30 September 2010, 265 individuals in the parliamentary constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire, 9,895 individuals in Wales and 162,575 individuals in the UK were receiving an ongoing pension under the WPS.
	The Armed Forces and Reserve Forces Compensation scheme (AFCS) was introduced on 6 April 2005 to provide compensation to service personnel and their dependants for illness, injury or death as a result of service from this date.
	As at 30 September 2010, fewer than five individuals in the parliamentary constituency of Brecon and Radnorshire, 35 individuals in Wales and 485 individuals in the UK were receiving either guaranteed income payments (GIP) or survivor's guaranteed income payments (SGIP) under the AFCS.
	 Notes:
	1. Guaranteed income payment (GIP)-regular payment to service person to provide a continuous income stream.
	2. Survivor's guaranteed income payment (SGIP)-regular payment to surviving dependant(s) to provide continuous financial support.
	3. All figures have rounded to the nearest five.